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[1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENCE]
THE MEETING TO ORDER.PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR RELIGIOU STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR, FOR ALL.
AND NOW JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[2. ROLL CALL/MOMENT OF ART]
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ROLL CALL? MAYOR JALO.AND, UH, FOR THOSE THAT, UH, ARE NORMALLY HERE, UH, YOU'LL KNOW OUR STAFF, BUT WE NOW HAVE A NEW STAFF MEMBER AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE ANNETTE SPEC PIC ART.
I'M SORRY, AS A CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA AS OF THIS PAST MONDAY.
SO, UH, MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE, UH, NANCY LA TANZI.
THERE YOU ARE FOR A MOMENT OF ART.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
LAST MONTH WAS FIBER ARTS AND I SAW YOU, I WATCHED IT ONLINE.
SO, UM, APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, AND I HAVE INVITED TWO POETS TO RECITE FOR US TODAY.
POETRY IS AN ANCIENT ART FORM OF SELF-EXPRESSION AND SELF-REFLECTION, ENCAPSULATING EMOTIONS THAT EVERYDAY LANGUAGE MAY FAIL TO CONVEY IN OUR FAST-PACED TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD.
POETRY SLOWS US DOWN, MAKES US PAY ATTENTION AND RECLAIM THE POWER OF WORDS.
THROUGH POETRY, WE CAN EXPLORE OUR DEEPEST EMOTIONS FROM LOVE AND JOY TO GRIEF AND DESPAIR THROUGH METAPHOR.
AS SIMILES AND SYMBOLISM, POETS CAPTURE AND ILLUMINATE EMOTIONS THAT ARE INTENSELY PERSONAL AND YET UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD.
ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, POETRY OUT LOUD IS A CONTEST FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT BEGINS WITH RECITING POEMS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. THOSE RECOGNIZED ADVANCED TO THE SCHOOL-WIDE COMPETITIONS, AND THEN TO STATE CONTESTS.
AND FINALLY, THERE'S A NATIONAL COMPETITION IN WASHINGTON DC WHERE STUDENTS CAN EARN UP TO $20,000.
SO TWO, AND IT WAS IN THE PAPER.
TWO OF OUR RED ROCK HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS MADE IT TO THE STATE FINAL, WHICH WAS MARCH 2ND AT NAU.
FOR THE CRITERIA TO PERFORM AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL, STUDENTS MUST PREPARE THREE POEMS THAT ARE 25 LINES OR LESS, AND THAT ARE WRITTEN BEFORE THE 20TH CENTURY.
CAROL GOLDSMITH, THEIR ENGLISH TEACHER, STATED THE POEMS THAT THEY PICK REFLECT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND OR WANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHO AND WHAT THE WORLD IS TO THEM.
ON FEBRUARY 17TH, SOPHOMORE RAYMOND PAPPAS COLLINS CAME IN FIRST PLACE AT THE NORTHERN ARIZONA REGIONAL AND THEN COMPETED AT THE STATE FINAL.
ON MARCH 2ND, HE RECITED SON, DAUGHTER, WHICH IS A POEM BY KAI CONRAD.
AND IT'S ABOUT A FATHER'S LACK OF ACCEPTANCE OF HIS TRANS SON.
HE WILL ALSO PERFORM LOVE ARMED BY AFRO BEN ABOUT HOW LOVE ISN'T ALWAYS RAINBOWS AND CAN HURT.
RAYMOND IS A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY WHOSE HOBBIES INCLUDE ART AND PLAYING PIANO, DRUMS AND TENNIS.
WHAT ORIGINALLY ASPIRED ME TO GO INTO POETRY OUT LOUD WAS THAT I NEEDED A PUSH TO HELP ME START TO OVERCOME MY SOCIAL ANXIETY AND STAGE FRIGHT.
I AM DEFINITELY SURPRISED I MADE IT TO WHERE I DID, BUT I AM DEFINITELY GLAD BECAUSE I FOUND A LIKING WITH POETRY AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
THE SECOND POET IS SENIOR ALEXIS BORO, AND HE CAME IN SECOND PLACE AT NORTHERN ARIZONA REGIONAL.
HE RECITED THE ARROW IN THE SONG BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW.
AND THAT'S, UH, THE ARROW IS A METAPHOR FOR POETRY IN THAT POEM.
AND ALEX DMITRI'S, 1969 AND THAT POEM DELVES INTO THE HISTORIC EVENTS OF THAT YEAR AND THE JUXTAPOSITION OF MAN LANDING ON THE MOON TO COME HOME IN PEACE, BUT THEY RETURN TO GO TO WAR.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT YEAR THAT I THINK SOME OF US DO REMEMBER
ALEXIS BECAME INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE HE SAW IT AS A CHANCE TO PRACTICE PERFORMING ON STAGE IN HIS WORDS.
AS A MUSICIAN WITH PLANS TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE, I TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TEST MY ABILITIES IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
LEARNING AND RECITING A POEM IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM LEARNING AND SINGING A SONG.
SO I SAW THAT RELATIONSHIP AND USED IT AS PRACTICE.
THE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MY TEACHERS, CLASSMATES AND FAMILY WAS ALSO A HUGE FACTOR, AND THAT MOTIVATED ME TO
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CONTINUE.IT'S ALSO FASCINATING HOW BY RECITING THE POEMS, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE YOURSELF AS THEIR AUTHOR, WHICH MEANS, FOR ME, IT WAS EASY TO EMPATHIZE WITH THEIR FEELINGS, WHICH AIDS IN UNDERSTANDING THE TOPICS.
SO PLEASE WELCOME FIRST RAYMOND PAPPAS COLUMNS, WHO WILL RECITE SON, DAUGHTER, AND LOVE ARMS. AND THEN ALEXIS BORO WILL RECITE THE ARROW ON THE SONG IN 1969, SON SLASH DAUGHTER BY KAI TI IN A DREAM, MY DAD FELL FROM THE TOP OF A STEEP WHITE MOUNTAIN DOWN INTO A BLUE CVAS, LIKE THE SPACE BETWEEN TWO WAVES WHERE THE LIGHT SHINES THROUGH.
JUST ENOUGH TO TELL YOU, YOU WILL MISS THIS LIFE DEARLY.
I COULD HEAR HIM MOVING THROUGH THE AIR AND FINALLY NOTHING IN ANOTHER DREAM.
HIS SEE-THROUGH BODY DANGLING IN THE AIR FLOATING ABOVE ME.
AND I CRIED AND CRIED WHEN HE TOLD ME, I CAN'T COME BACK TO EARTH.
WHEN MY DAD TOLD ME HE'LL ALWAYS BE MY DAUGHTER.
WILL I BE ALLOWED TO COME BACK TO EARTH AND BE YOUR SON? LOVE? ARMED BY AFRO BEN SONG FROM AP LEISURE, LOVE IN FANTASTIC TRIUMPH SAT WHILST BLEEDING HEARTS AROUND HIM FLOWED FOR WHOM FRESH PAINS HE DID CREATE.
IN STRANGE TYRA POWER, HE SHOWED FROM TH BRIGHT EYES, HE TOOK HIS FIRE, WHICH ROUNDABOUT IN SPORT HE HURLED, WHICH WAS FROM MINE.
HE TOOK DESIRE ENOUGH TO UNDO THE AMOROUS WORLD FROM ME.
HE TOOK HIS SI AND TEARS FROM ME, HIS PRIDE AND CRUELTY FROM ME, HIS LANGU AND FEARS IN EVERY KILLING DART FROM THE THUS THOU AND I, THE GOD HAVE ARMED AND SET HIM UP WITH DEITY.
BUT MY POOR HEART ALONE IS HARMED WHILE SPYING THE VICTOR IS AND FREE THE ARROW ON THE SONG BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, I SHOWED AN ARROW INTO THE AIR, IT FELL TO EARTH.
THE SITE COULD NOT FOLLOW IN ITS FLIGHT, I BREATHED THE SONG INTO THE AIR, IT FELL TO EARTH.
I KNEW NOT WHERE FOR WHO HAS A SIGHT SO KEEN AND STRONG THAT IT CAN FOLLOW THE FLIGHT OF A SONG.
LONG, LONG, A WORD IN AN OAK, I FOUND THE ARROW STILL UNBROKE.
AND THE SONG FROM BEGINNING TO END, I FOUND AGAIN IN THE HEART OF A FRIEND.
MM-HMM, 1969 BY ALEX SYMR, THE SUMMER EVERYONE LEFT FOR THE MOON, EVEN THOUGH YET TO BE BORN AND THE DEAD WHO CAME VACATION HERE, BUT MADE US SOLD THERE BY THE VEIL BETWEEN WORLDS.
THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN AMERICA WAS IN THE YEAR 25.
BECAUSE WHO HAS EVER LIVED IN THE PRESENT WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH OF A FUTURE TO CONTINUE WITHOUT US? HOW THE BEST LOVER WON'T NEED TO FORGIVE YOU AND SURELY TAKE EVERYTHING OFF YOUR HANDS WITHOUT HAVING TO ASK, WITHOUT KNOWING YOUR NAME.
NO MATTER THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU MARRIED OR DIDN'T YOUR FAVORITE MIDNIGHT MOVIE, THE CIGARETTES, YOU COULDN'T GIVE UP WHEN TO KISS OR PEOPLE YOU SHOULDN'T.
AND NOW TO FOREVER BE KISSED BY THE EARTH, IN THE EARTH WITH THE EARTH, WHEN WE ALL BRUTALLY LEFT IT TO LOOK BACK ON EACH OTHER FROM ABOVE, SHOCKED BY HOW BRIGHT EVEN OUR PAIN IS RUNNING WIDELY BESIDE US, LIKE AN UNDERGROUND RIVER.
AND WHATEVER LANGUAGE IS GOOD FOR A SIGN.
A MESSAGE LEFT UP THERE THAT READS, HEAR MEN FROM PLANET EARTH.
JULY, 1969, 80, WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.
THEN THEY RETURNED TO CONTINUE THE WAR.
JUST ONE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED.
THERE IS A SEDONA POETRY SLAM SATURDAY, THIS APRIL 13TH AT SEVEN 30 AT MARY FISHER.
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FREE EVENT THANKS TO FUNDING FROM THE NORTHERN ARIZONA BOOK FESTIVAL.SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH OUR
[3. CONSENT ITEMS - APPROVE ]
ITEM THREE CONSENT ITEMS. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE STAFF OR, UH, COUNSEL OR, UH, THE PUBLIC CAN PULL ANY OF THESE ITEMS. A THROUGH I.CAN I HAVE A MOTION? THEN I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM THREE A THROUGH A SECOND.
[5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MAYOR/COUNCILORS/CITY MANAGER & COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS]
EVENTS, VICE MAYOR.WELL, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC MEETING ON EVACUATION PLAN FOR SEDONA KNOW YOUR ZONE WILL BE, UM, NEXT BE HELD NEXT MONDAY, APRIL 15TH AT 4:00 PM AT THE HUB OF POSSE GROUNDS.
IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WERE VERY, UH, EXPRESSED THEIR, UH, COMPLETE AMAZEMENT THAT WE HAD DONE THIS.
THEIR THANKS TO THE CHIEF, THE DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY SHERIFFS FROM BOTH COUNTIES AND THE EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
I THINK YOU'LL GET A LOT OUT OF IT IF YOU CAN ATTEND AND YOU'LL KNOW YOUR ZONE WHEN YOU LEAVE.
THAT WAY, IF WE EVER HAVE TO BE EVACUATED, YOU'LL KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO.
SO FOUR O'CLOCK MONDAY AT THE HUB, AT POSSE ROUNDS.
[6. PUBLIC FORUM]
ITEM SIX, PUBLIC FORUM.WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC FORUM.
ARE THERE ANY CARDS? MADAM CLERK? OKAY.
THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO SPEAK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE CURRENT, UH, AGENDA.
SO, UH, MR. MARTINEZ, ARE YOU HERE? JOHN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
DO YOU KNOW THE DRILL? WE HAVE ALL THESE FANCY NEW CLOCKS HERE FOR YOU TO KEEP.
YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE, SIR
MY NAME IS JOHN MARTINEZ AND I STILL LIVE IN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UM, COMING BEFORE YOU TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE, THE GRANT THAT YOU GAVE US, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WERE REGARDING, UH, PUBLIC OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH BRINGING, UH, THE, THE RENOWNED FLUTIST FROM AMERICAN INDIANS.
UH, NAKA CARLOS, AKA HE'S WELL KNOWN, AND HE WILL BE PERFORMING WITH THE SEDONA SYMPHONY APRIL THE 27TH.
TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE GOING FAST, BUT HE, LIKE I SAID, HE IS WELL, WELL RENOWNED.
AND I WANT TO BRING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT.
MR. CARLOS NAKA, THE PREMIER NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTIST, BRINGS A UNIQUE ARTISTRY TO THE PERFORMANCE IN THE SYMPHONIC AND CHAMBER MUSIC TRADITION.
HIS MELTING OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF NOTES AND WELL-KNOWN TEMPERED SCALE WITH EUROPEAN CLASSICAL MUSIC REQUIRES AN ART, AN ARTISTRY THAT UNDERSTANDS TWO DESPERATE MUSICAL TRADITIONS, WHILE MASTERING THE TECHNICAL DEMANDS OF BOTH.
NAKA SERVES AN EFFECTIVE AMBASSADOR IN REACHING NEW CONCERT AUDIENCES CONSISTENTLY DRAWING CAPACITY OR NEAR CAPACITY HOUSES BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND OTHER GENRES OF MUSIC.
AKA A 10 TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE HAS MANY FANS FOLLOWING HIM INTO THE CONCERT HALL, INCLUDING NATIVE AMERICANS WHO ARE OFTEN FIRST TIME CONCERT GOERS.
AKA'S ARTISTIC ASPIRATIONS HAVE ALWAYS INCLUDED MUSICAL CLASSICAL PERFORMANCES.
THE DESIRE SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL WITHIN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS BORN OF AKA'S EDUCATION, MUSIC THEORY, AND TRUMPET PERFORMANCE.
HIS TRUMPET PLANE ENDED WITH HIS, WHEN HIS WAS PERMANENTLY DAMAGED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN EARLY 1980S, HE BEGAN PLAYING THE TRADITIONAL FLUTE AND A NEW CAREER WAS BORN.
ANY OF YOU THAT HAVE PLAYED AN INSTRUMENT PARTICULARLY LIKE A WOODWIND, KNOWS ALL ABOUT THAT ATURE.
AND ALSO WITH THE TRUMPET, SPECIFICALLY UNIQUE, A UNIQUE PERFORMER, A CRI,
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A CULTURAL AMBASSADOR, EDUCATOR, AND LECTURER WITH AN ION CLASSIC VIEW.R CARLOS NAKA SUCCESSFULLY BRIDGES THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MUSICAL TRADITIONS OF NATIVE AMERICAN AND CLASSICAL MUSIC.
HE WILL BE AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, UH, AS I SAID, APRIL THE 27TH, ALONG WITH THE SEDONA SYMPHONY.
IT'S GONNA BE AN OUTSTANDING THING.
LIKE I SAID, TICKETS ARE GOING FAST, SO PLEASE, IT WAS THE GRANT THAT YOU PRESENTED, THE SYMPHONY.
PLEASE BE THERE TO REPRESENT OR WHAT YOU GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO AN ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA? OKAY, THEN WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC FORUM.
PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS.
ROXANNA, ARE YOU HERE, ROXANNA? SHE'S NOT HERE YET.
[7.b. Proclamation, Fair Housing Month, April 2024.]
FOR FAIR HOUSING MONTH APRIL, 2024.WHEREAS THE FAIR HOUSING ACT ENACTED IN APRIL 11TH, 1968 ENSHRINED INTO FEDERAL LAW THE GOAL OF ELIMINATING RACIAL SEGREGATION AND ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, FA UH, FA, FAMILIAL, OH, THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN AND DISABILITY AND, UH, UH, COMMITS RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEDONA IS COMMITTED TO THE MISSION AND INTENT OF CONGRESS TO PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL.
AND WHEREAS OUR SOCIAL FABRIC AND, UH, ECONOMY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT ARE STRENGTHENED IN DIVERSE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS IN HONOR OF FAIR HOUSING MONTH, WE PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO THE NORTHERN ARIZONA INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR THEIR WORK PROMOTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CIVIC LEADERSHIP, INCLUS INCLUSIVITY, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT BLO, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, ARIZONA ON BEHALF OF THE SERONA CITY COUNCIL, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2024 AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN SEDONA AS AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO FAIR HOUSING AND TO PROMOTE INTO PROMOTING APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES BY PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES TO PROVIDE AND ADVOCATE, ADVOCATE FOR EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS OF SEDONA ISSUED THIS NINTH DAY OF APRIL, 2024.
[7.a. Proclamation, Stand With Me, Be Drug Free , April 15-20, 2024]
STILL HASN'T COME IN.OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HOLD THIS FOR HER.
SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT I REPRESENT HER.
PLEASE JUST COME UP AND I'LL READ THIS AND THEN I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO PRESENT IT TO YOU.
WHEREAS MAT FORCE HAS PROCLAIMED APRIL 15TH TO THE 20TH OF 2024 TO BE STAND BY ME, BE DRUG FREE WEEK.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEDONA EMBRACES A VISION OF HEALTHY, VIBRANT, STRONG COMMUNITY FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, FAMILIES, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND CELEBRATES THE FACT THAT A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DO NOT ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEDONA RECOGNIZES THAT YOUTH PREVENTION AND ESSENTIAL BA ESSENTIAL BASED ON THE FACT THAT NINE OF 10 PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS BEGIN USING SUBSTANCE AS A TEENAGER.
WHEREAS KNOWING THAT FAMILIES ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY ILLEGAL DRUG USE, INCLUDING WORK PROBLEMS, LEGAL PROBLEMS, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, PHYSICAL ILLNESS, ADDICTION, UH, ACCIDENTS, ACCIDENTAL DEATH, ECONOMIC LOSS, CHILD ABUSE, AND DESTRUCTION OF FAMILIES DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED AND CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND PROPERTY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEDONA WOULD LIKE TO, UH, COMMEND AND PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL OF ITS CITIZENS WHO CHOSE TO BE FREE OF ILLEGAL DRUG USE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I SCOTT BLO, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, ARIZONA, ON BEHALF OF, OF THE CITY COUNCIL, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 15TH THROUGH THE 20TH, 2024 TO BE STAND BY ME, BE DRUG FREE WEEK AND ENCOURAGES ITS CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN CELEBRATION OF
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DRUG-FREE, HEALTHY COMMUNITY, AND PARTIC BY PARTICIPATING IN A PLANNED EVENT ACTIVITIES AND DISPLAYS ISSUED THIS NINTH DAY APRIL, 2024.COULD YOU JUST STATE YOUR NAME SO WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD AS SUSAN? OKAY.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT YEAH.
YOU NEED, MY NAME IS DEL TERRY AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
UH, I ALSO WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR MY DARK SUNGLASSES, BUT I JUST HAD, UH, CATARACT SURGERY AND SO I HAVE TO WEAR THEM, SO I'M NOT TRYING TO BE COOL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU, I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE GREATER SEDONA SUBSTANCE ABUSE COALITION, UH, HERE IN SEDONA.
AND WE TRY SO HARD TO, UH, KEEP OUR YOUTH AWAY FROM DRUGS AND NOW VAPING.
AND WE HAVE TO START IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE COLORING BOOKS THAT WE TAKE TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT SAY, UM, WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BODY? WHAT IS BAD FOR YOUR BODY? AND DIFFERENT PICTURES TO TO COLOR.
UM, I HAVE THREATENED TO QUIT, UH, BEING THE CHAIRMAN SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEN BECAUSE I GET, UH, SO DISAPPOINTED WITH ALL THE DRUG USE.
BUT THEN I THINK IF WE CAN SAVE THREE OR FOUR KIDS, WE HAVE WON.
AND WE HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE SOME OF YOU WITH YOUR CHILDREN OUT AT MARPER, UM, FARM, AND WE WALK FOR A MILE AND, AND THE KIDS HAVE ACTIVITIES AND IT'S FREE.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE REGULAR BUSINESS, I JUST WANT LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, UH, UNLESS YOU'RE JULIE, RICHARD, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, WHO'S UP FIRST? THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY LENGTHY MEETING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
EVERYTHING WILL BE HEARD IN ACCORDING TO THE, UH, PACKET.
UH, AND WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH ASKING QUESTIONS OF E FOR EACH PERSON.
WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE TAKING, UH, COMMENT CARDS FOR EACH ITEM, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LENGTHY MEETING.
SO I JUST WANNA LET PEOPLE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME, WE DO HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
WE, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE HEARD FOR WHATEVER SPECIFIC ITEM YOU WISH TO ADDRESS US ON AS WELL.
[8.a. AB 3043 Presentation/discussion from Julie Richardson, Chief Executive Officer of the Sedona Arts Center, to report to the City Council on the economic and social impacts of the non-profit arts and culture industry on Sedona. ]
UH, EIGHT, A AB 30 43 PRESENTATION DISCUSSION FROM JULIE RICHARD, EXEC, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE SEDONA ART CENTER TO REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND, UH, CULTURE INDUSTRY IN SEDONA.DO YOU CARE? SEE WHAT IT DOES.
HI, JULIE, OR AFTERNOON, UM, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JULIE RICHARD, AND I'M THE CEO OF SEDONA ART CENTER.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, LETTING ME DO THIS TODAY.
I WANNA, UH, ALSO SAY THAT THE PRESENTATION AND THE DATA IN THIS IS ACTUALLY, UM, CREATED BY AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT RUNS THIS STUDY.
THE ARTS CENTER MANAGED IT ON BEHALF OF AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS, FOR THE, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE NON-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN SEDONA.
THIS PRESENTATION WAS CREATED MOSTLY, UM, BY RANDY COHEN, WHO IS THE VP OF RESEARCH FOR AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS.
SO I WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AS BEST I CAN,
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU THAT, UH, AS AN FYI.
SO I WANNA JUST KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN THE CEO AT SEDONA ARTS CENTER FOR THREE YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT, I RAN THE MAIN ARTS COMMISSION, WHICH IS A STATE
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ARTS AGENCY, A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.UM, I'VE RUN THE WEST VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL DOWN IN PHOENIX AND MANY OTHER, UH, OR SEVERAL OTHER, NOT MANY OTHER, BUT SEVERAL OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
UM, I'VE DONE TONS OF CULTURAL AND STRATEGIC PLANNING ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, A LOT OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, ARTS EDUCATION, AND I'VE SAT ON SEVERAL NATIONAL AND STATE BOARDS.
WHY THE ARTS CENTER TO RUN THIS STUDY? WELL, THIS IS WAS MY FOURTH ARTS AND ECON, UH, ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY STUDY.
UM, I'VE DONE THESE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF MAINE AS WELL.
AND WE OBTAINED, UH, FUNDING FROM THE CHAMBER THROUGH THE CITY TO DO THIS, UM, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
SO I KNEW THE DATA WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF SEDONA AND CULTURAL TOURISM HERE IN A SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE ART CENTER.
AND JUST IT, I FELT LIKE IT WAS A ROLE THAT WE SHOULD PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
GOTTA JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING LIKE I SHOULD.
UM, I FIRST JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE ARTS AND CULTURE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SPEAKING AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM COMING AND, UM, AND JUST SUPPORTING THIS DATA 'CAUSE THEY DID A LOT OF THE WORK.
SO, UM, TO BEGIN WITH, THERE WERE 373 STUDY REGIONS IN THIS, IN THIS NATIONAL STUDY.
SEDONA WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE 373, UM, REGIONS.
AND THE LITTLE RED DOT THAT'S THERE IS, UH, IS SEDONA.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE REGIONS ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THEY LITERALLY ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO WE WERE JUST ONE OF THOSE 373 REGIONS.
THIS IS THE SIXTH STUDY, HENCE A EP SIX OR ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY SIX, THE SIXTH STUDY THAT AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS HAS CONDUCTED OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.
SO IT'S BEEN A LONGITUDINAL STUDY.
UM, AND SO THEY'VE COLLECTED LONGITUDINAL DATA ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SEDONA HAS PARTICIPATED, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE OF ARIZONA HAS PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN ARIZONA HAVE PARTICIPATED.
UM, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE CITY OF SEDONA CAN BOAST THAT WE HAVE $13.5 MILLION IN SPENDING ON BEHALF OF THE NON-PROFIT, ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR IN SEDONA.
BUT THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO THIS, UM, TO THIS STUDY.
UM, SO JUST THE ORGANIZATIONAL DATA THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THIS.
AND THEY PULLED THAT, UM, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS PULLED THAT FROM DATA ARTS, WHICH IS, UH, A FORM ESSENTIALLY THAT THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE HAVE TO FILL OUT IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THE ARIZONA COMMISSION ON THE ARTS.
AND, UM, IF THEY DID NOT, IF THEY DON'T APPLY FOR GRANTS, 'CAUSE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS ARE VERY SMALL, THEN THEY FILLED OUT A VERY SMALL, UM, QUESTIONNAIRE TO GET THEIR DATA INTO THE STUDY.
THE OTHER HALF OF THIS, UM, IS AUDIENCES AUDIENCE SPENDING, AND THAT REPRESENTS 7.6 MILLION OF THE 13 POINT HALF MILLION IN TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WOULD CONSISTED OF DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED THROUGH AUDIENCE SURVEYS.
SO THOSE TWO COMPONENTS, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, OKAY.
UM, OVERALL, 230 JOBS WERE CREATED OR ARE CREATED ON BEHALF OF THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY THAT REPRESENTS FULL-TIME, PART-TIME, AND SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT BY THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT REVENUE.
SO THIS REPRESENTS INCOME THAT THE CITY, THE STATE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLECT ON BEHALF OF THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT'S INCOME TAX, SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX FUNDS THAT THE CITY COLLECTS FROM LICENSES AND FEES AND SUCH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT IS ALSO, UM, REPRESENTS BOTH THE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCES WHO TRAVEL HERE.
SO ATTENDEES, THIS IS ON AVERAGE IN ALL OF THE ATTENDEES, AND THIS IS BASED SOLELY ON THE AUDIENCE SURVEYS THAT WERE COLLECTED.
UM, THEY SPENT $89 AND 23 CENTS PER PERSON PER EVENT.
AND THAT'S AN AVERAGE ACROSS ALL OF THE SURVEYS THAT WERE COLLECTED.
AND THE DOLLAR, THE BOTTOM LINE DOLLAR DATA, UM,
[00:30:01]
THIS, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF ADMISSION TO THE EVENT.SO WHEN THE ORGANIZATIONS FILLED OUT THEIR, THEIR SURVEYS ADMISSION THAT THEY COLLECTED ACTUALLY WENT ON THEIR SURVEY.
SO THERE'S NO DOUBLE DIPPING IN THIS, IN THIS DATA.
UM, THIS REPRESENTS THE ANCILLARY DATA.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY THAT I LIVE IN BOSTON AND I'M GONNA COME HERE TO TAKE A WATERCOLOR CLASS.
SO I SIGN UP FOR THAT CLASS, I BUY AN AIRPLANE TICKET, I STAY IN A HOTEL FOR FOUR NIGHTS.
I MIGHT HAVE BOUGHT A COUPLE OF NEW OUTFITS TO WEAR WHILE I'M IN THAT CLASS.
UM, UH, THE SUPPLIES AND THE GROCERIES THAT I MIGHT BUY AT WHOLE FOODS TO MUNCH ON WHILE I'M IN CLASS.
UM, ANYTHING, UH, THE UBER THAT I TOOK FROM, UH, THE HOTEL OR FROM THE AIRPORT TO HERE, FROM FLAGSTAFF TO HERE, UM, ANY FOOD AND DRINK AT ANY RESTAURANTS, THAT IS THE ANCILLARY MONEY, THAT IS THE DATA THAT'S COLLECTED ON THESE SURVEYS.
AND WE COLLECTED, UM, A TOTAL OF 509 SURVEYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
DO YOU GO ALONG? WHY DON'T WE, YOU COULD, WOULD THAT BE OKAY, JULIE? YEAH, THAT'D BE FINE.
DO YOU HAVE MUCH MORE OF THE PRESENTATION? UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S LIKE 10 MORE SLIDES.
THEN WHY DON'T WE GIVE, TAKE QUESTIONS NOW IF YOU FEEL UP TO IT.
WHAT DOES THE 2360 AND LODGING REPRESENT? SO THAT'S AN AVERAGE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AN AVERAGE OF WHAT?
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT A, THAT, UH, APPARENTLY A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T, DIDN'T STAY IN LODGING.
THEY EITHER WERE WITH FRIENDS OR DO DO WE KNOW, DOES THAT WELL, NEVERMIND, ACTUALLY THEY DO, THEY DO STAY IN LODGING, BUT THAT'S AN AVERAGE.
SO THERE WERE 500, 509 SURVEYS OKAY.
BUT SOME OF THOSE WERE, YOU'LL, WE'LL GET TO IT, WE'LL GET TO IT.
AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AT THAT POINT, I'LL TRY TO EXPLAIN IT FURTHER.
UM, JUST ONE OTHER POINT ON THIS IS THAT, SO WE, OUR ATTENDEES OVERALL LOCAL AND TOURISTS.
SO LOCALS AND TOURISTS BOTH, UM, ON AVERAGE SPENT AN 80 $89 AND 23 CENTS PER PERSON PER EVENT.
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ON THIS STUDY WAS $38 AND 46 CENTS.
SO WE SPEND, OUR ATTENDEES SPEND TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND, UM, IT INCLUDES, LIKE I SAID, LOCAL AND NON-LOCAL TOURISTS.
S SO ATTENDEES BY LOCALS WAS 60% ATTENDEES BY NON-LOCALS WAS 40%.
NON, NON-LOCAL ATTENDEES WAS ACTUALLY 10% HIGHER IN OUR STUDY THAN IT WAS IN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND FOR PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY, NON-LOCALS MEANS EVERYONE OUTSIDE OF YAVAPI OR COCONINO COUNTY.
SO BOTH YAVAPAI AND COCONINO COUNTY.
SO THIS IS AN INTERESTING SLIDE.
SO OUR LOCALS ON AVERAGE SPENT $41 AND 55 CENTS PER EVENT.
OUR NON-LOCALS SPENT ON AVERAGE $159 AND 91 CENTS, WHICH IS WAY, WAY, WAY MORE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
THEY SPENT AN AVERAGE OF $60 AND 57 CENTS.
SO OUR CULTURAL TOURIST SPEND ALMOST THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND IN ADDITION, I WAS ABLE TO GET WHERE WE RANKED NATIONALLY, AND WE ACTUALLY RANKED SECOND IN ALL OF THE 373 STUDY REGIONS ON WHAT OUR CULTURAL TOURISTS SPEND ON AVERAGE WHEN THEY COME HERE.
WHO WAS NUMBER ONE? YOU WOULD ASK THAT I SOMEPLACE IN FLORIDA.
AND, UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, ALMOST 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE SAY THEY TRAVEL HERE BECAUSE IT'S THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR COMING TO SEDONA.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REALLY INTERESTING FACT.
IN ADDITION, UM, THIS STUDY ALSO COLLECTED INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, THEY ASK PEOPLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE ACTUALLY SOCIAL IMPACT RESPONSES BY THE ATTENDEES THAT CAME TO THESE EVENTS.
[00:35:01]
FACILITY IS AN IMPORTANT PILLAR FOR ME.80% OF THE PEOPLE FELT THAT, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WOULD FEEL A GREAT SENSE OF LOSS IF THIS ACTIVITY OR OR VENUE WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
85% STATED THAT THIS ACTIVITY OR VENUE IS INSPIRING A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY.
88% SAID THAT, AND MY ATTENDANCE IS MY WAY OF ENSURING THAT THIS ACTIVITY OR VENUE IS PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND 86% OF THE ATTENDEES SAID THAT IN ADDITION, THEY ALSO COLLECTED INFORMATION ON VOLUNTEER HOURS.
AND THIS IS ALSO PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, WE HAD ON AVERAGE OVER 597 VOLUNTEERS OVER 31,000 HOURS WITH A TOTAL VALUE OF $941,000, UM, IN VOLUNTEER HOURS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS, WHICH I IS PROBABLY NOT, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE REALLY SUPER SURPRISED ABOUT.
'CAUSE OUR SEDONA IS VERY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN.
UM, ALSO THIS STUDY IS ENDORSED, UM, AND HAS BEEN ENDORSED NATIONALLY BY MANY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE ON MAYORS IN THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND MANY MORE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THE ALPHABET SOUP LOGO, UM, SLIDE THAT, THAT REPRESENTS ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ENDORSE ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENDORSE THE STUDY.
AND IN ADDITION, UM, THEY ALSO DISCOVERED THAT 86% SAY ARTS AND CULTURE IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND LIVABILITY.
AND 79% BELIEVE ARTS AND CULTURE IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES', BUSINESSES, ECONOMY, AND LOCAL JOBS.
AND THIS IS BRAND NEW, UM, DATA THAT JUST CAME OUT AT IN MARCH.
SO THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, STARTED AN ARTS AND CULTURE SATELLITE ACCOUNT.
UH, I, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN, BUT I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2012, 2013.
SO THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING DATA, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS IN A WAY TO QUANTIFY ARTS AND CULTURE'S IMPACT ON THE GDP IN GENERAL.
AND, UM, THIS SPECIFIC, THIS SPECIFIC DATA INCLUDES FOR-PROFIT AS WELL AS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
SO FOR-PROFIT ARTS SUCH AS DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, MUSIC VENUES, UM, STADIUMS AND MORE.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
BUT WHAT WE FOUND OVER THE YEARS IS THAT INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS QUITE OFTEN ARE OVERLOOKED IN THESE STUDIES BECAUSE MANY OF THEM DON'T FILL OUT SCHEDULE CS, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THIS DATA FROM.
SO, UM, THE BIG PICTURE IS THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY, MANY ARTISTS THAT, UM, ARE PART OF THIS DATA, BUT OVERALL, $14.2 BILLION OR 3% OF THE GROSS STATE PRODUCT AND 84,479 JOBS ARE PART OF THE ARTS AND ARTS AND CULTURE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN ARIZONA, WHICH IS BIGGER THAN THE UTILITIES, EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE.
SO, UM, THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND HOT OFF THE PRESS.
IN ADDITION, UM, ARTS, THE ARTS BUILD EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING, 72% AGREE THAT THE ARTS AND CULTURE PROVIDES SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT RACES AND PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING 63% SAY THE ARTS AND CULTURE, HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND OTHER CULTURES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS WAS A QUOTE THAT I TOOK OUT OF THE LARGE, UM, THE LARGE, UH, UM, STUDY RESULTS OVERALL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE COMPLETE, UM, STUDY THAT, UH, AND RESULTS.
AND I JUST BASICALLY GAVE YOU ALL THE, THE ONE PAGER THAT IS THE SNAPSHOT, BUT IF YOU WANT THIS, I CAN EMAIL THIS TO YOU AS WELL, BUT IT'S, THEY, UM, THIS SAYS, INVESTMENT IN THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY BUILDS THE COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE WANNA LIVE AND WORK.
IT'S WHERE ENTREPRENEURS AND CREATIVE ECONOMY BUSINESSES ARE LAUNCHED AND WHERE NIGHTTIME ECONOMIES FLOURISH, WHEN WE PRIORITIZE DIVERSE CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS AND TRADITIONS, IT NURTURES SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, PROMOTES COMMUNITY PRIDE AND IDENTITY, AND BOOSTS TOURISM BY PROVIDING THE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES THAT DRAW VISITORS TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF VISITORS HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, IT MAY BECOME A PLACE TO WORK AND ULTIMATE, ULTIMATELY ONE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WHICH WE FOUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHERE PEOPLE VISIT AND THEN THEY COME AND WANNA LIVE HERE.
SO CREATING LIVABLE COMMUNITIES IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO FOR, FOR FY 25, WE'RE REQUESTING AN, UH, REINVESTMENT INTO THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR IN SEDONA OF $550,000, WHICH REPRESENTS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, ESSENTIALLY THAT THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS GIVE BACK TO THE CITY OF SEDONA, UM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
[00:40:01]
AND, UH, JUST A SMALL FRACTION OF THE TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE HAVE.ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF CARDS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
UH, KATHY, HAS THIS SURVEY BEEN DONE BEFORE? IS ARE THERE EARLIER NUMBERS TO COMPARE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS TO IT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN SEDONA.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, BUT WE WILL BE DOING THIS GOING FORWARD.
SO EVERY, THEY'LL, THEY CONDUCT THIS STUDY EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS BASELINE DATA, RIGHT? IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE TRENDING, AND THIS IS THIS SUMMARY REASON THIS SLIDE GOT SKIPPED, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW I'D MANAGE THAT.
BUT, UM, THE, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT COLLECTED THE AUDIENCE SURVEYS ARE ON THE LEFT.
AND, UM, THE ORGAN, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL SURVEY PORTION OF THIS ARE ON THE RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE THIS UP BECAUSE THIS IS THE ME OF THE STUDY.
JULIE, BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, LET ME, UH, BRING UP SOME OF THE, UH, CARDS, UH, SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE.
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO RECEIVE THE SURVEY AS WELL AS YOUR PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN WHAT'S IN THE, THE PACKET MATERIALS, SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, QUESTION FOR YOU AND, AND MAYBE FOR STAFF, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S STAFF THAT CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT YOUR 550 K ASK COMPARES TO WHAT CURRENTLY, LIKE WHAT'S IN OUR FY 24 BUDGET, IS THIS, UH, A COMPARISON? UH, IS THIS A COMPARISON WE CAN MAKE TO THE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM WHERE WE'VE NOW DESIGNATED A PORTION OF THAT TO BE DEDICATED TO THE ARTS? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE OR QUITE A BIT MORE? UM,
UM, SO WHAT WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT WE WOULD BE SEPARATED OUT FROM THE REST OF THE NONPROFITS AND THAT THIS FUND BE DEDICATED SOLELY TO THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY.
BUT WE DID WIND UP SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT, 40, 40, 20? YEAH.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE HAS DISCRETION OVER THE FINAL 20.
AND WE IN THREE 50 AND WE INCREASED TO THREE 50.
SO IF IT WINDS UP BEING A 50 50 SPLIT, THEN ROUGHLY IT'S 175 GOING TO ARTS.
SO THIS IS JUST A LITTLE MORE, JUST A LITTLE MORE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M TRYING TO SQUARE ALL OF THIS WITH IS OTHER DATA THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
SO TWO WEEKS AGO WE HAD THE, UH, TOURISM UPDATE FROM OUR BRAND CONSULTANTS WHO PROVIDED INPUT ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS SEE THE ARTS AS IT RELATES TO THE TOURISM EXPERIENCE HERE.
AND THE BIG SURPRISE WAS IT, IT SCORED VERY, VERY LOW.
UM, PROBABLY BECAUSE THIS IS VERY, THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE DO IS, UM, HUGE IMPACT FOR SMALL NUMBERS.
SO WE VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY AMAZING ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THESE THINGS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE HERE IS THE OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE ARTS AND CULTURE NONPROFITS HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WAY MORE THAN THE AVERAGE TOURIST.
THEY SPEND MORE MONEY AND THEY STAY LONGER.
IT'S A, IT'S A COMMON, UM, DATA POINT THAT WE IN THE ARTS, UH, SPOUT FREQUENTLY BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.
AND THEY, UM, THEY TEND TO EXPERIENCE MORE OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY COME FOR.
AND OF THE 13 AND A HALF MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT, UM, IS THAT AN EXTRAPOLATED NUMBER THEN FROM THE 509 SURVEYS? IT'S DIRECT.
SO IT'S, IT'S THE ORGANIZATION, IT'S THE ORGANIZATION SURVEYS.
SO THE FACT THAT WE EXIST HERE IS ALSO ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND THEN THE SURVEYS AND THE AUDIENCES WHO COME HERE EXCLUSIVELY FOR WHAT WE DO IS THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT.
AND SO THE LITTLE WHITE SLIPS OF PAPER I GOT WHEN I WENT TO EMERSON THEATER COLLECTIVE, AND WHEN I WENT TO SF LIKE THAT'S ALL YOUR SURVEY? YES.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE I TRYING, THANK YOU FOR FILLING THOSE OUT, BY THE WAY,
I MEAN, I FEEL BAD, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I'M A LOCAL, IT'S LIKE, UH, I SPENT
[00:45:01]
ZERO ON LODGING, ZERO ON THIS, ZERO ON THAT, BUT I'M HERE.UM, BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T A TOURIST.
SO, SO THE LAST PIECE, AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO SQUARE WITH THINGS.
UM, YESTERDAY WHILE WATCHING MY PURDUE BOILERMAKERS LOSE THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, I KNOW.
I STARTED REVIEWING OUR FISCAL 25 BUDGET BOOK.
AND LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY SURVEY ABOUT WHERE THEY WANT TO SEE MONEY SPENT OR NOT SPENT, IT WAS DON'T NEED TO SPEND ANYMORE ON THE ARTS, WAS BASICALLY MY TAKEAWAY FROM READING THAT SURVEY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT YET EITHER.
I, NO, I HADN'T SEEN ALL OF IT.
I'D HEARD SOME BITS AND PIECES OF IT, BUT MM-HMM.
SO SEDONA TALKS ABOUT IT BEING A CITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS.
AND SEDONA WAS FOUNDED ON THE ARTS.
I MEAN, WE, MAX ERNST AND DOROTHY, A TANNING WERE TWO OF SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS ARTISTS IN THE WORLD THAT CAME HERE AND SETTLED HERE AND THRIVED HERE AND CREATED SOME OF THEIR MOST, UM, IMPORTANT WORK HERE.
AND THE ART CENTER WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN FACT, THE CITY OF SEDONA VOTED ON BECOMING A CITY AT SEDONA ART CENTER.
SO WE GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE CITY, AND WE GOT AWAY FROM THAT AT SOME POINT.
AND IT'S TIME THAT WE REFOCUS ON THOSE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT BRING THE RIGHT KIND OF TOURIST BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN, UM, BIGGER NUMBERS.
AND THAT, UM, WE SUPPORT THE ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXIST HERE SO THAT WE CAN THRIVE AND, UM, AND, AND BE THE KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE REALLY DESERVE TO BE BECAUSE WE'RE A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXIST HERE NEED TO ALSO BE WORLD CLASS.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THIS CITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S TELLING US IN THE BUDGET SURVEY DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT.
AND WHAT VISITORS COMING HERE ARE SAYING IS IMPORTANT TO THEM WHEN THEY COME ISN'T SUPPORTING THAT.
THE OTHER THING I'LL ASK LAST QUESTION IS, SO THIS SURVEY IS FOCUSED ON NON-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE.
WE HAVE A VERY LARGE FOR-PROFIT ARTS YES, WE DO.
AND CULTURE COMPONENT AS WELL.
ANY, ANY WAY TO KNOW HOW THAT PIECE COMPARES TO THE NONPROFIT PIECE? THE ONLY, UM, PIECE OF DATA THAT I'VE GOT FOR THAT IS THE BEA, UM, DATA, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THIS INCLUDES FOR-PROFIT NUMBERS AS WELL.
I CAN'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA THAT PEELS OFF SEDONA SPECIFICALLY.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD GET SOME SNAPSHOT OF THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WELL, I MEAN, AT THE, THE STATE COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US DO THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE A PROJECT, IT WOULD BE A PRETTY MAJOR PROJECT TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
HEY, IF YOU CAN ASK US FOR 550 K, YOU CAN ASK THEM FOR SOME DATA.
HOW IS THE ART CENTER RELATED TO ANOTHER NONPROFIT THAT I BELIEVE CALLS ITSELF THE SEDONA ART MUSEUM, SOMETHING OR ANOTHER? UM, WE'RE NOT RELATED TO THAT.
UH, I AM AWARE OF THAT EFFORT.
UM, WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, GOES BACK 65 YEARS AND, UM, WE HAVE FULLY PROFESSIONAL STAFF, UM, AND WE HIRE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS.
UH, THAT EFFORT IS, UM, WORKING ON TRYING TO BECOME, UH, A MUSEUM, WHICH I COMPLETELY SUPPORT.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ART MUSEUM IN, IN SEDONA.
HOW ABOUT CONNECTED TO THE SEDONA ART CENTER IN BETWEEN YOUR MAIN BUILDING AND THE ART BARN
THAT'S FOR THE NEXT MEETING NOW,
I JUST HAVE ONE REALLY QUICK QUESTION.
SO NON-LOCAL WAS DEFINED AS NOT IN OUR COUNTIES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT IS FOR THE NUMBERS OF ARIZONA VERSUS NOT ARIZONA? I DON'T, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, NO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON A LOT OF THE NUMBERS AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
IF WE'RE SAYING WE'RE ACTUALLY DRAWING PEOPLE FROM ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY HERE FOR YOUR WATERCOLOR CLASSES OR WHAT IT IS, VERSUS THEY'RE COMING UP FROM TUCSON OR THEY'RE COMING UP FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, PHOENIX MAYBE.
SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD NUMBER, I THINK, TO UNDERSTAND.
I WILL SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT, FIND OUT THAT NUMBER.
[00:50:01]
BUT IF THEY COME AND THEY STAY OVERNIGHT AND THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY IN HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS, THAT'S ALL ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE SPENDING ON, UM, PAYING FOR THAT, THAT WATERCOLOR CLASS THAT THEY'RE TAKING.IT HAS TO DO, DO MORE WITH, UH, REAL DESTINATION.
IF YOU'RE COMING UP FROM PHOENIX OR TUCSON, YOU GET IN YOUR CAR AND YOU DRIVE HERE.
AND, AND IF THEY'RE ONLY HERE FOR ONE NIGHT, NO, NO.
THAT THE STUDY ONLY COUNTS ONE NIGHT.
UM, THAT ASIDE, THAT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE INTENT IS I'M COMING FROM BOSTON, I'M COMING FROM NEW YORK, I'M COMING FROM WHEREVER, EUROPE, WHEREVER IT IS I'M COMING FROM.
THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT ASPECT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE CLASSES THAT YOU'RE HOLDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK FOR $550,000, IT'D BE REALLY NICE TO KNOW WHO YOU'RE DRAWING.
AND I, I BRING YOUR ATTENTION BACK TO THAT $159 NUMBER, BECAUSE THAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE COMPARED TO, I MEAN, IT RANKS SECOND NATIONALLY, SO THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING DONE.
UH, PETE, I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH ON JESSICA'S QUESTION EARLIER, SO THIS, THIS WILL BE WRONG, BUT IT WAS AN INTERESTING, UH, ARITHMETIC EXERCISE TO RUN THROUGH.
IF, IF THE AVERAGE IS 2360, LET'S JUST SAY A HOTEL IS $230 A NIGHT, BUT, SO THAT'S LIKE ONE IN 10 PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THAT NIGHT OF A, OF A HOTEL, BUT WE KNOW 60% ARE LOCAL, SO IT'S REALLY ONE IN FOUR STAYING OVERNIGHT.
SO IT'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT PLAYS WITH OUR VISITATION NUMBERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND OTHER SOURCES.
I CAN, SO I ASKED AMERICANS FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT NUMBER.
UM, SO I, LET ME JUST READ THIS AND SEE IF IT MAKES ANY SENSE.
SO FIRST THEY CALCULATE THE AVERAGE PER PERSON EXPENDITURE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AUDIENCE SURVEY THAT WE COLLECTED.
SO THE TOTAL EVENT RELATED SPENDING THAT WAS REPORTED ON THE SURVEY, DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE TRAVEL PARTY THAT WAS REPORTED ON THE SURVEY.
THEN THEY CALCULATE THE AVERAGE FOR ALL THE SURVEYS THAT WERE COLLECTED.
AND THEN THEY DO THAT SEPARATELY FOR THE LOCALS, THE NON-LOCALS, AND THEN FINALLY ALL THE SURVEYS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THE NUMBERS.
I HAVE EIGHT CARDS FOR THIS ITEM.
SO WE HAVE RANDY MCGRAIN, UH, PLEASE STEP UP.
IT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY RUSSELL FOX.
RANDY, YOU KNOW THE DRILL, SIR.
UM, REALLY PLEASED TO SPEAK ON THIS.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, SEDONA ART CENTER IS MY NEIGHBOR.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY'RE MY NEIGHBOR IS BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE WHEN WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A HOTEL.
AND HAVING AN ART CENTER NEXT TO A HOTEL WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO US.
AND AS MUCH AS I SUPPORT THE ARTS, UH, PERSONALLY, UH, WE SUPPORT THIS HOTEL SUPPORTS THE ART CENTER BECAUSE THERE'S A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
THE PLANET AIR FESTIVAL IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
ALSO, I'M PRETTY AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR TOURISM IN THIS TOWN, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU, COUNSELOR ARTS ARE WAY TOO LOW.
WE GET THEM HIGHER BY INVESTING MORE IN ARTS.
WE CAN'T, WE'RE LOSING SOME OF WHAT SEDONA HAS MEANT AND WHY PEOPLE COME.
SO LET'S START TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE AND START TO OFFER SEDONA IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
YOU DO THAT BY SUPPORTING NOT-FOR-PROFIT ARTS.
AND LASTLY, THE KIND OF ARTISTS THAT WORK FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT ARE LOCALS.
AND THAT MONEY THEN FILTERS TO THEM AND MAKES THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING.
AND I WANNA LIVE IN A COMMUNITY AND BE IN BUSINESS IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS THRIVING ARTISTS.
RANDY RUSSELL FOX WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MELISSA PATS P I'M SORRY.
MY NAME IS RUSSELL FOX AND FROM THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK.
I'M THE FORMER CONDUCTOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE VERDE VALLEY SYMPHONY, YETTA, NOW THE SEDONA SYMPHONY.
AND CURRENTLY I'M FOUNDER AND BOARD CHAIR OF THE SEDONA CONSERVATORY.
AND IN THAT CAPACITY, I'M HERE TO SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND VISIONARY REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SEDONA CULTURAL PARK.
SEDONA CONSERVATORY INCORPORATED IS A TAX EXEMPT 5 0 1 C3 BODY OF PERFORMING AND FINE ARTS PROFESSIONALS, CORPORATE AND PLANNING AND STRATEGY EXPERTS, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS AND DEDICATED ARTS PATRONS.
EACH IS COMMITTED TO FOUR SUSTAINING PRINCIPLES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CULTURAL PARK.
[00:55:01]
NUMBER ONE, RUSSELL, IS THIS ITEM SPECIFIC TO HER THE CULTURAL PARK OR THE, TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE CULTURAL PARK? YOU'RE ON MY TIME, HOWEVER, SO GIVE JUST A LITTLE BIT.I KNOW PEOPLE, I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT I THINK I, I HOPE SO.
KURT, DO YOU THINK IT'S CLOSE? MAYOR AND COUNSEL? YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ELIMINATED THE, THE NEED FOR IT TO BE ON TOPIC.
YOU AND GENERALLY ANYTHING CAN GO DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, PERIOD.
THE VALUE AND INFLUENCE OF THE PERFORMING AND CREATIVE ARTS IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY IS INCALCULABLE.
SOCIETIES DO RISE AND FALL ON THE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES EMBODIED IN THEIR CULTURAL ARTS.
THEREFORE, SUSTAINING AND ADVANCING HUMANITY'S HIGHEST ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS IS WORTH OUR EVERY EFFORT.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS VALUE ADDED FACT ARTS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ARE CHIEF ECONOMIC DERIVE IN EVERY FORWARD THINKING MUNICIPALITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
JULIE RICHARDS SPOKE TO THAT ISSUE.
VISIONARY ARTS SUPPORT AND THE RESULTING COMMERCIAL VIABILITY ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN.
AS SUCH, ALL GREAT ARTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ACTUALLY A MARRIAGE OF VISION AND RESOURCES.
WHETHER IT'S NEW CHOREOGRAPHY, THEATER OR MUSIC, OR THE CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING AND FINE ARTS AND AND HUMANITIES AT THE CULTURAL PARK, THE PRINCIPLE REMAINS THE SAME.
TRULY SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL ADVANCEMENTS CAN ONLY COME FORTH AND BE SUSTAINED THROUGH A MEANINGFUL RESOURCES OF THOSE WHO VALUE SUCH ACHIEVEMENTS.
AND I TRUST THAT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.
SEDONA IS THE IDEAL LOCATION, UH, FOR RE-ENVISIONED CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES.
WITH ITS INSPIRING AND CONSTANTLY RECOG, INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE LANDSCAPES, THIS SECLUDED LITTLE ARTS COLONY HAS NOW BECOME A WORLD DESTINATION.
WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, ARE NOW MUCH IN LARGE POPULATION HOPES FOR AND ENVISIONS A MAJOR RENAISSANCE IN THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS WITH WORLD CLASS ARTS, EDUCATION, FACILITIES, MUSEUMS, AS WELL AS APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED AND POSITIONED PERFORMANCE VENUES.
SO A CONSERVATORY'S VISION AND MASTER PLAN FOR THE CULTURAL PARK ADDRESSES ALL MAJOR ISSUES OF SEDONAS, MUCH ANTICIPATED EXPANSION OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES, TRULY SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, HIGH-END ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND THE ALL IMPORTANT ISSUES OF AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE AND SENIOR HOUSING.
SO THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT IS NOW FOR SECURING THIS IRREPLACEABLE ASSET, THE SEDONA CULTURAL PARK, NOT ONLY AS AN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL DESTINATION, BUT AS A LASTING LEGACY FOR THE VISIONARY COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO NOW CAN MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
WE EARNESTLY ASK YOU TO EXPAND YOUR VISION AND ALLOW US TO ALL GO FORWARD, HAND IN HAND.
UH, MELISSA? UM, YES, PAT? YES, PAT, WHENEVER I SEE YOU, I GET IT WRONG, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SEDONA ARTS CENTER.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE ARTS BRING TO OUR CITY.
UM, FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, A SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
SOMEONE WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO ME MADE THE COMMENT OF, CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING IN THIS ROOM WITH NO ART ON THE WALLS? CAN YOU IMAGINE DRIVING THROUGH SEDONA WITHOUT ANY OF THE ARTS, THAT ART THAT IS THERE? I THINK WE OFTEN FORGET HOW MUCH ART AND CULTURE WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
'CAUSE WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME.
WE LIVE WITH IT AND WE EMBRACE IT.
SO THE FACT THAT WE WANNA INVEST IN IT AND CONTINUE TO UTILIZE IT AND EXPAND IT TO GET TOURISM IN HERE, INVEST IN OUR OWN ARTISTS, INVEST IN THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE NONPROFITS IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT.
AND YES, IT IS SO EASY TO LOOK AT ANY NUMBER IN ANY REPORT AND START PICKING IT APART.
I WOULD SAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH IN THE FACT THAT THIS IS, THIS STUDY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 30 YEARS.
WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE SOME GOOD BENCHMARK DATA.
BUT I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO DEFINITELY, PLEASE TAKE THAT ALL INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE BUDGETS.
WE HAVE WHITNEY MUNCH, FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS KIRSTEN.
I'M WINIFRED MINCH, REPRESENTING SEDONA CHAMBER BALLET.
SEDONA, ALL ART SPEAKS TO OUR NEED TO REVEAL, HEAL, AND TRANSFORM.
IT TRANSFORMS OUR ORDINARY LIVES, AND IT LETS US IMAGINE WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S A QUOTE THAT I READ THIS MORNING.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AS THE CHAIRMAN OF SEDONA BALLET, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR AN INCREASE IN ARTS FUNDING FOR OUR BELOVED CITY OF SEDONA.
WE ARE AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN SOMETHING TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE FORMATIVE OUR ARTS COMMUNITY.
[01:00:01]
HEARD THAT THE AMERICAN FOR THE ARTS STUDY STUDY SHED LIGHT ON A REMARKABLE STATISTIC.THE ARTS HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL POSITIVE IMPACT ON CITY REVENUE.
TO BE PRECISE, THE STUDY REVEALED THAT THE ARTS CONTRIBUTE OVER 550,000 TO OUR CITY COFFERS.
THIS ISN'T MERELY A NUMBER, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE PROFOUND ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE ARTS IN SEDONA.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE THIS IMPACT THROUGH A TANGIBLE EXAMPLE.
OUR RECENT PERFORMANCE WITH THE AMERICAN BALLET THEATER WAS ONE NIGHT.
THIS EVENT NOT ONLY SHOWCASED INCREDIBLE TALENT, BUT ALSO ATTRACTED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUTTA TOWN RESIDENTS.
IN FACT, OVER 35% OF THE AUDIENCE TRAVELED FROM AFAR TO WITNESS THE SPECTACLE.
OVER 280 PEOPLE, THESE VISITORS DIDN'T JUST COME FOR PERFORMANCE.
THEY IMMERSED THEMSELVES IN THE SEDONA EXPERIENCE.
THEY STAYED IN OUR HOTELS, THEY DINED IN OUR RESTAURANTS, AND THEY EXPLORED OUR LOCAL ATTRACTIONS FOR OVER THREE DAYS.
THE INFLUX OF TOURISM TRANSLATES TO INCREASED REVENUE FOR THE CITY, BENEFITING NOT ONLY THE ARTS, BUT ALSO THE ECONOMY.
ARTS TOURISM CAN CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO A LOCAL ECONOMY BY GENERATING REVENUE FOR ARTISTS, ARTISANS, GALLERIES, AND CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
BUT UNLIKE MASS TOURISM, WHICH FOCUSES ON HIGH VOLUME, LOW SPENDING, VISITORS, ARTS TOURS TEND TO SEEK OUT AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES AND ARE WILLING TO INVEST IN OUR LOCAL ARTWORK, PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS.
THIS WILL CREATE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS WHILE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES.
BUT THE IMPACT OF ART GOES SO FAR BEYOND DOLLARS AND CENTS.
IT ENRICHES OUR CULTURAL FABRIC OF THIS CITY.
IT FOSTERS CREATIVITY, DIVERSITY, AND COMMUNITY COHESION.
IT PROVIDES AN AVENUE FOR EXPRESSION AND CONNECTION THAT TRANSCENDS OUR BOUNDARIES AND UNITES US IN A SHARED EXPERIENCE BY INVESTING IN THE ARTS, WE INVEST IN THE SOUL OF SEDONA.
WE SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT WE VALUE CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND PER THE PURSUIT OF BEAUTY, WE DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO NURTURING A VIBRANT CULTURAL SCENE THAT ATTRACTS VISITORS, SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF OUR LIFE.
THEREFORE, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER INCREASING ARTS FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA.
LET'S SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HARNESS THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL POTENTIAL OF THE ARTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY, OUR RESIDENTS, AND OUR BUSINESS.
WINNIE NICHOLAS WILL BE, UH, FOLLOWED BY PATRICK SCHWEISS.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS WHAT I FEEL ABOUT HOW THE ARTS ARE GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY.
UM, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THERE'S A BOOK THAT I JUST, JUST CAME OUT FROM TWO NEUROSCIENTISTS FROM JOHN HOPKINS NEUROSCIENCE CENTER, AND IT'S CALLED YOUR BRAIN ON ART.
AND IT'S THE MOST DEEP RESEARCH ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN ART GOES INTO IT.
AND IT'S ALL VERY POSITIVE AND NURTURING AND COMMUNITY, UH, HEALING AND BRINGING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN A SAFE AND SECURE WAY THAT IS NOT INTIMIDATING IN ANY WAY.
AND, UH, IT, IT DOES A LOT TO, IT DOES BRING A SUPER, UH, A SPECIAL GROUP OF VISITORS BECAUSE THE ARTS, UH, CALL FORTH PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO ENVIRONMENT, TO OTHER PEOPLE, TO MUSIC, TO EDUCATION, AND TO NATURE AS A WHOLE.
SO MY WISH IS THAT, UH, YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND LOOK INTO THE DEEPER UNDERSTANDING NOW THAT WE HAVE FROM THESE WONDERFUL NEUROSCIENCE WOMEN WHO DELVE DEEPLY INTO WHAT ARCHERY DOES TO OUR BRAIN AND AFFECTS US, OUR BRAIN, OUR BODY AND EVERYTHING.
SO OUR ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE FULL OF ART AND SUPPORT THE ARTS.
UH, AND IT IS ALSO AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE REASON AS WELL.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE SOUL, NOURISHING, HEALING FOOD.
ART IS SOUL FOOD ON WHATEVER LEVEL IT COMES OUT.
AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HAVE AN AVENUE THAT IS SAFE, SECURE, AND TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THEM IN A POSITIVE WAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS AS YOU DO, AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAME AND CITY OF, UH, OF WHERE YOU LIVE? I'M
[01:05:01]
NICHOLAS KIRSTEN CHEN.I HAVE TWO ART GALLERIES INTO OCK.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE, SIR? IN SEDONA.
PATRICK WILL BE FOLLOWED BY NATE MYERS.
PATRICK, I KNOW YOU KNOW THE DRILL.
THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, I'M PATRICK SCHWEISS.
I LIVE IN SEDONA, AND I REPRESENT MYSELF AND THE SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.
I WILL BE BRIEF, WHICH I KNOW IS UNUSUAL
SO, BUT I WANNA TAKE JUST A COUPLE SECONDS TO THANK JULIE AND THE SEDONA ARTS CENTER FOR PUTTING, WORKING WITH THEM TO PUT THIS AND WORKING WITH ALL OF US TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
IT'S A YEOMAN'S JOB AND I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU PULLED OFF IN PUTTING THIS.
ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, I'M ONE THAT DOESN'T LIKE TO DEAL WITH STATISTICS.
I THOSE NUMBERS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OVERWHELMING.
THEY MEAN A LOT OF THINGS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I JUDGE BY THE PEOPLE LEAVING OUR THEATERS AND LEAVING OUR EVENTS AND THE LOOKS IN THEIR FACES AND WHAT WE BROUGHT TO THEM AND WHAT THE ARTS CENTER BRINGS TO THEM, AND WHAT OUR ARTS COMMUNITY BRINGS THEM WHEN THEY'RE GAZING ON SOME, WHETHER IT'S THE WORK HERE, THE BEAUTIFUL WORK HERE IN THE CHAMBERS, OR A SCULPTURE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU CAN'T PUT A DOLLAR FIGURE ON THAT.
WHAT YOU CAN PUT A DOLLAR FIGURE ON IS THE CITY'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND TO HELP PROMOTE THE ARTS.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALREADY FOR ALREADY UPPING THAT BUDGET FOR THE SMALL GRANTS AND CHANGING THOSE PERCENTAGES.
UM, WE HAD A WONDERFUL MEETING, JULIE AND I WITH HOLLY A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND I HOPE THAT THAT HAD SOME IMPETUS ON, ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN AS WE WERE GOING INTO THE BUDGETING PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS SO WONDERFUL A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND WE'VE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF SIGHT OF THIS, AND SOME OF YOU KNOW THIS, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE STORY, BUT WHEN ROD ADAMS WAS OUR MAYOR, AND WHEN PUT QUI WAS OUR MAYOR, UM, THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED A QUALIFYING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS GRANTS.
THAT WAS FOR THE BIGGER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, THE MULTI-DAY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT GOT A BIGGER CHUNK OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY BECAUSE WE BRING OVERNIGHT VISITORS AND WE BRING PEOPLE WHO SPEND MORE MONEY, MORE TIME, THOSE HIGHER QUALIFIED VISITORS TO SEDONA.
UM, AND THEN IT KEPT US OUT OF THE POOL FOR THE SMALL GRANTS, WHICH MEANT THOSE SMALLER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ARTS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN GOT BIGGER GRANTS BECAUSE WE WERE TAKEN OUTTA THAT POOL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALL KNOW THE STORY.
I CAN TELL YOU SOMETIME, UH, WHERE THAT WENT AWAY.
BUT ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO GET IT BACK TOWARDS SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND TO INCREASE YOUR FUNDING FOR THE ARTS, WE ARE SO IMPORTANT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ON THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FILM FESTIVALS AND OTHER ARTS FESTIVAL DONATION DESTINATION EVENTS, TICKET SALES ONLY ACCOUNT FOR ONE THIRD OF OUR ANNUAL OPERATING REVENUE.
THE REST ALL HAS TO BE MADE UP FROM GRANTS CITY SUPPORT, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT MEMBERSHIPS.
OURS IS 34% COME FROM TICKET SALES, BOTH FOR THE MARY FISHER AND ALICE GILL SHELDON THEATERS AND OUR FILM FESTIVAL.
SO WE DEPEND ON THIS KIND OF SUPPORT.
SO WHERE EVERY, WHETHER IT'S THE $550,000 THAT YOU'RE BOOSTING THE ARTS, WHICH WOULD BE AWESOME, OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN YOUR INCREASE, AND THAT IT WOULD SHOW A GREAT, GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY SAYING WE TRULY WANT TO BE AND WANT TO SUPPORT BEING A CITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS.
IT WOULD HELP US DO WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY TO MAKE THIS CITY A DESTINATION AND TO MAKE A REALLY WONDERFUL, VIABLE ARTS COMMUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
NATE MYERS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MIKE.
MIKE, ARE YOU STILL HERE? OH, THERE YOU GO.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS.
I'M NATE MYERS OF SEDONA, AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW ME AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEDONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND SEDONA HERITAGE MUSEUM.
I WANNA START BY THANKING JULIE AND HER TEAM AT THE SEDONA ART CENTER FOR LEADING THE EFFORT TO DOCUMENT THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS HERE IN SEDONA THROUGH THE A EP SIX SURVEY.
UH, THE FINDINGS OF THAT SURVEY THAT SEDONAS NONPROFITS ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY GENERATED 13 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN 2022 REVEALED JUST HOW IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ONE I REPRESENT, LIKE SEDONA ART CENTER, LIKE THE FILM FESTIVAL, UH, SEDONA PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE SEDONA SYMPHONY CHAMBER MUSIC, SEDONA, OTHER LOCAL THEATER COMPANIES, NUMEROUS ART GALLERIES, NON-PROFIT IN THIS CASE, BUT ALSO THE FOR-PROFIT ONES, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, AND OTHERS ARE VITAL TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
ANOTHER AMAZING FINDING IS THAT VISITORS OF SEDONA SPEND AN AVERAGE OF $159 AND 91 CENTS ON ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND THAT'S JUST TO EMPHASIZE TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE LOCALS SPEND $41 AND 55 CENTS ON AVERAGE, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 29 77.
THAT TELLS ME THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE FIND TREMENDOUS VALUE IN THE OFFERINGS OF OUR LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
NOT ONLY DOES THAT REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN.
TO THAT POINT, A WHOPPING 88% OF RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEY AGREED WITH THE STATEMENT, THIS ACTIVITY OR VENUE IS INSPIRING A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY.
[01:10:01]
WHILE MUCH OF THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION IS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE BRING EVEN MORE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY.ARTS AND CULTURE EXPERIENCES CONNECT PEOPLE TO HEALTH, WELLBEING AND IDENTITY.
THEY IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND CRUCIALLY, THEY ESTABLISH A SENSE OF PLACE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT, UM, COUNCILLOR FOLTZ MENTIONED A STUDY I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
WE WERE NOT ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.
UM, AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT IF OTHER ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN WERE ALSO NOT PARTICIPANTS, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT DATA REFLECTS ACTUAL SENTIMENT.
UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO WRAP UP WITH A COUPLE OF QUOTES.
FIRST, A STATEMENT FROM THE ARTS COUNCIL OF ENGLAND THEATERS, MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND LIBRARIES ARE THE BEATING HEART OF OUR TOWNS AND CITIES.
NOT ONLY DO THEY BRING PROSPERITY, THEY BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING.
AND FINALLY, FROM ARCHITECT DANIEL LIBESKIND, SORRY IF I BUTCHERED THAT NAME.
ART AND CULTURE ARE NOT JUST FRILLS, BUT CRUCIAL ELEMENTS TO HUMAN LIFE.
MIKE WOULD, MIKE WILL BE OUR LAST, UH, SPEAKER.
SO, UH, IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS, UH, AN INTEREST TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE ITEM NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO FILL OUT A CARD.
MIKE, YOU KNOW, ALSO KNOW THE DRILL.
SO, NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
YOU HAVE, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE UP, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SEDONA VISUAL ARTIST COALITION.
AND I LIVE IN CORNFIELD, BUT I'M IN SEDONA ALL THE TIME.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
I, I'VE BEEN A CERAMIC ARTIST FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS.
BEFORE THAT, I SPENT 28 YEARS IN HIGH TECH SALES AND MARKETING, MOSTLY STARTUPS AND MOSTLY SOFTWARE.
UM, IN THOSE ROLES, UM, MOSTLY AT A DIRECTOR OR VP LEVEL, YOU HAD TO HAVE DATA TO JUSTIFY WHY YOU WANTED TO HIRE A NEW PERSON OR WHY YOU WANTED TO INVEST IN A MARKETING PROGRAM.
WELL, THE DATA JULIE HAS PRESENTED IS, I MEAN, IT'S ROCK SOLID BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST SOME WISHFUL THINKING THAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $160 A PERSON.
SO I'LL TAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENT TACTIC BECAUSE I THINK, UH, I THINK HIS NAME WAS NATE AND MY PAL PATRICK.
THERE HE IS, UM, DID A GOOD JOB OF TALKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL AND THE, UH, THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE ARTS.
BUT I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE FINANCIAL PART BECAUSE EVEN IF, LET'S SAY YOU TOOK $450,000 IS WHAT YOU WERE GONNA INVEST IN THE ARTS, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT AM I, WHAT'S MY ROI, WHAT AM I GONNA GET BACK FOR THAT MONEY? WELL, EVEN IF YOU ONLY HIT THE $550,000, THE STUDY SHOWS, THAT'S A 20% RETURN ON YOUR MONEY.
WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GET 20% RETURN ON YOUR MONEY IN TODAY'S MARKET? NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU INVESTED THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN, IN SUPPORTING THE ARTS, YOU WOULDN'T JUST GET $550,000 IN THE IMPACT.
LET'S HOPE IT'S AT LEAST 10% HIGHER THAN THE 550,000.
SO, UM, I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S JUSTIFIABLE.
AND I BELIEVE AS YOU GUYS, AS THE, THE FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THE BUDGET, THAT YOU WOULD GET THAT KIND OF IMPACT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKED ABOUT THE, UM, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
SO WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF TRACKING THE DATA FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE OPEN STUDIO TOUR.
UM, IF YOU'VE SEEN OUR GRANT PROPOSALS, IT'S PRETTY WELL SPELLED OUT IN THOSE PROPOSALS.
SO IT'S 2000 TO 2300 PEOPLE THAT COME SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 50 TO 60 ON AVERAGE ARE LOCALS.
UM, AND THEN 20 TO PER TO 30% IS FROM PHOENIX.
AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND THEY, A LOT OF THEM LITERALLY TELL ME THAT THEY PLANNED THEIR VACATION EVERY YEAR TO COME THE LAST WEEKEND IN APRIL BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S WHEN THE OPEN STUDIO TOUR IS.
UM, SO, SO THAT IMPACT IS HUGE.
UM, JESSICA KNOWS, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AT HER HOUSE, HER HUSBAND IS
UM, SO I JUST URGE YOU TO LOOK AT INCREASING THAT INVESTMENT BECAUSE YOU, YOU'LL GET IT BACK.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILOR WILLIAMSON, YOU HAVE A QUESTION TO COMMENT? I DO.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO, TO, UM, COUNCILMAN LTZ STATEMENT ABOUT THE PART, THE SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL ART FUNDING IN THE,
[01:15:01]
UM, CITIZEN SURVEY THAT THE CITY RAN.AND I THINK WE ALL READ IT AND THERE WAS NONE.
OF COURSE, THERE WASN'T SUPPORT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SPENDING, BUT I WOULD LIKE
IS ANNETTE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK? OKAY.
ANNETTE, TELL ME THE BASIS OF THE CITIZEN SURVEY, HOW THAT WAS CONDUCTED.
NO, KAREN, IF YOU COULD JUST, UM, JUST GIVE US A ONE MINUTE THING ABOUT THE CITIZEN SURVEY, UH, BUDGET SURVEY, WHO IT WENT OUT TO, HOW MANY RESPONSES WE GOT, AND WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO LIVE IN SEDONA COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED.
SO, UM, COUNSELOR, IT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC SURVEY WHATSOEVER.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO EACH YEAR JUST TO GET, UH, SOME SENTIMENT.
IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SCIENTIFIC SURVEY.
UM, WE PUT IT OUT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
I BELIEVE IT GOES OUT THROUGH E NOTIFY WITH LINKS.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT, THAT NANCY LATTANZI OUR ARTS AND CULTURE SPECIALIST, UM, BECAUSE SHE HELPED US DESIGN SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AROUND ARTS SPENDING WAS, HAD DISTRIBUTED IT SPECIFICALLY TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND HER CONTACTS THROUGHOUT THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAD A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, ACCESS AND KNEW ABOUT IT.
UM, AND SO WE COULD GAUGE, YOU KNOW, THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT ARTS RELATED PRIORITIES AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO HAVE PEOPLE KNOW THE BASIS OF, OF THE STATEMENT SO THAT YOU COULD SORT OF GAUGE THAT.
COULD I, COULD I JUST ADD ONE THING? UM, WE, WE, I DO REMEMBER GETTING THE LINK FROM NANCY.
UM, IF WE WOULD'VE HAD MORE TIME, WE WOULD'VE ACTUALLY BLASTED THAT OUT TO OUR EE LIST, WHICH WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO SO.
AND I THINK THAT THE REST OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING AND WE WOULD'VE HAD DIFFERENT RESULTS.
JULIE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT WHEN YOU RECEIVED IT? WE GOT IT.
WE GOT IT LIKE THE DAY THAT IT WAS DUE.
BUT THIS WAS A RESIDENT FOCUSED SURVEY.
SO ACTUALLY HAVING AN ARTS ORGANIZATION BLAST THAT OUT TO ITS MEMBERS REALLY WOULD NOT BE, IT WOULD BE SKEWED.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT IN CONTEXT AND TO GIVE SOME SPECIFICITY TO THE, THE DETAILS ABOUT WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT RESPONSE CAME FROM.
OH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION NOW? BRIAN, COMMENT PLEASE.
SO, AT A MINIMUM, YOU'RE ASKING FOR 375,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE'VE LIKELY EARMARKED THROUGH THE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM.
SO, YOU KNOW, TUG AT OUR HEARTSTRINGS, TELL A GOOD STORY, MAKE US WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE A PLAN BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
WE CAN'T JUST GO WRITE A BLANK CHECK.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE ART COMMUNITY GONNA COME FORWARD WITH AS FAR AS IDEAS AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO INTERSECT WITH OUR TOURISM WORK? MM-HMM.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT, YOU CAN'T DIVORCE THE ONE FROM THE OTHER.
SO THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION.
SO I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR IDEAS, NOT JUST A DOLLAR SIGN, BUT I'M OPEN TO HEARING IDEAS.
WELL, WE HAVE TWO DAYS, TWO FULL DAYS OF BUDGET HEARINGS NEXT WEEK ON THE 17TH AND 18TH.
SO IF YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR US, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE INITIAL, IT'S HARD TO GET ON AFTER THAT.
YEAH, I'LL GET TOGETHER WITH MY CREW HERE.
WE ALREADY HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS ANYWAY, SO I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT.
[8.b. AB 3038 Presentation/discussion/possible direction on the final report and recommendations from the Greater Sedona Recreation Collaborative (GSRC) regarding motorized trail and off-highway vehicle use in and around the Greater Sedona area.]
B AB 30 38 PRESENTATION.DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE DIRECTION ON THE FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATIONAL COLLABORATIVE.
THAT'S THE GSRC REGARDING MOTORIZED TRAIL AND OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE IN AND AROUND THE GREATER SEDONA AREA.
[01:20:05]
OKAY.SO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO THIS EVENING ABOUT THE PROPOSED STRATEGIES.
I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, MARK ETH AND JESSICA ARCHIBALD AND A HOST OF OTHERS SEATED BEHIND ME WHO WILL ALSO BE PART OF THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
UM, WE WOULD ASK, UNLESS IT'S CLARIFYING RESPECTFULLY, UM, TO GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THEN HAVE ROBUST DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL DIRECTION AS ADVISED BY THE AGENDA.
UM, WHEN WE ARE THROUGH, MARK WILL ASK A FEW OF THE FOLKS SEATED BEHIND ME TO COME UP ONE BY ONE TO PRESENT A FEW SLIDES JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW THE PIECES WE'RE HOPING THAT PIECES WORK TOGETHER THIS EVENING.
TONIGHT WE'LL BE REVIEWING THE PROCESS AND STRUCTURE IN WHICH WE'VE ARRIVED HERE AT THESE PROPOSED STRATEGIES.
HOW WE IDENTIFIED THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES AND THE STRATEGIES THAT ENSUED FROM THOSE STRATEGIES BEHIND MOTORIZED USE.
WHAT ARE THOSE STRATEGIES AND HOW DID WE BUILD CONSENSUS SURROUNDING THOSE? WHAT ARE THE ACTION TEAMS DOING AT THAT TIME? WE HAD A WORKING GROUP, BUT WE ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT WORK ONGOING OUTSIDE OF THE WORK GROUP.
AND THEN PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND WHAT I KNOW YOU'RE MOST INTERESTED IN OR WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS BEYOND THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED.
ACTUALLY, I KNOW I SEE YOUR I AS MS. MAYOR JAO.
THE REST ARE IMPORTANT APPENDICES TO REFLECT ALL OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE FULL REPORT.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HARD AT WORK AND I HOPE YOU'VE READ EVERY SINGLE PAGE.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE REPORT, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THE FAQ'S, UM, AND THE WHAT PRESS RELEASE.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OF COVERAGE, UM, TODAY AND NOT MUCH BEYOND THAT.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY, I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY.
I THINK IT CAME OUT JUST, UM, IN A LINK.
I'LL MAKE SURE YOU SEE THAT THE RED ROCK NEWS CAME OUT WITH THIS, A SMALL PIECE TODAY.
SO WHAT IS THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE? WELL, IT EMERGED FROM GROWING CONCERNS, CHANGING CONDITIONS, RECOGNITION OF RECREATIONAL CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL NATURE, AND THE VALUE OF COLLABORATING WITH DIVERSE PARTNERS.
IT IDENTIFIED A FEW KEY OBJECTIVES TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE INPUT ON SHORT TO LONG-TERM STRATEGIES, ENCOURAGE BROAD PARTICIPATION, COLLABORATION, AND CONSENSUS, PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR SHARED LEARNING, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION, AND BUILD UPON, NOT REPLICATE PREVIOUS EFFORTS.
LASTLY, TO UTILIZE A HOLISTIC AND BALANCED PERSPECTIVE, WE DO BELIEVE WE ACHIEVE THAT WITH THIS INCREDIBLY HARDWORKING WORKING GROUP.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHO THOSE FOLKS WERE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
AS A REMINDER, THIS IS AN ENORMOUS GEOGRAPHY, MUCH LARGER THAN SOME OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY.
ALSO, AS A REMINDER, THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE IN THE FUTURE MAY INCLUDE MORE THAN MOTORIZED WORK.
THIS IS A FORWARD THINKING NETWORK, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AS IT RELATES TO COLLABORATION.
'CAUSE IT TURNS OUT RECREATION BEYOND O HVS IS ALSO IMPORTANT IN SEDONA.
SO THE GEOGRAPHY INCLUDES THE WESTERN BOUNDARY OF THE RED ROCK RANGER STATION, RANGER DISTRICT WEST OF FOREST ROAD, 5 2 5 SOUTH TO COVILLE EAST TO THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF MANS MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS AND NORTH TO RED ROCK, SECRET CANYON AND WILDERNESS.
SO IT'S A VERY LARGE LANDSCAPE IN WHICH THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE RESIDES.
WELL, WE PRESENTED BRIEFLY ON THIS WHEN WE MENTION WE MET WITH YOU LAST YEAR, BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU HOW THIS ALL CAME ABOUT.
THIS WAS NOT OUR GROUP IN ISOLATION OR JUST THE FOREST SERVICE, BUT THIS GROUP WAS COVED BY SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY OR LAND MANAGEMENT JURISDICTION THAT INCLUDES ARIZONA GAME AND FISH, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS, THE CITY OF SEDONA.
MELISSA COCONINO, NATIONAL FOREST AND YAVAPAI COUNTY.
THOSE CO-CONVENERS ARE SEATED BEHIND ME, AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A MOMENT.
THE WORK GROUP INCLUDED 17 INDIVIDUALS.
THESE ARE YOUR CITIZENS AND AN ADDITIONAL, SEVERAL OTHER ALTERNATES THAT SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS GROUP.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY REPRESENT SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS, SLIGHTLY OPPOSED TO WHAT YOU MAY HAVE READ IN THE PAPER THIS MORNING.
THIS WAS NOT JUST AN, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS REPRESENTING.
WE HAD ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PERMITTEES RECREATION, USER GROUPS, RECREATION, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THE RED ROCK, OHV, CONSERVATION CREW, AND SEVERAL
[01:25:01]
RESIDENTIAL REPRESENTATIVES.I'M JUST GONNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH INCREDIBLE HARD WORK WENT INTO THIS.
AND I'M ALSO GONNA IN, UH, ASK OUR WORKING GROUP AND ALSO NEW FRIENDS TO JUST RAISE THEIR HANDS, WHETHER YOU WERE AN ALTERNATE OR A WORK GROUP MEMBER.
ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE MOTORIZED RECREATION WORKING GROUP IS THE FIRST WORKING GROUP WITHIN THE GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE.
WHAT'S AHEAD? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT THING THAT NEEDS COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION.
YOU CAN SEE THE CO-CONVENERS THERE IN THE CENTER.
AND THEN WE DID HAVE FIVE ACTION TEAMS THAT WERE ALSO DOING WORK OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR MONTHLY WORKING GROUP MEETINGS, WHICH INCLUDED WORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF WHICH MUCH WORK HAS BEEN ONGOING OVER THOSE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
DATA GATHERING AND MONITORING, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION POLICY AND LEGISLATION AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING.
WE HAD ONE WORKING GROUP MEMBER DO A LITTLE MATH AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND WITH THE 17 WORK GROUP MEMBERS, THEY ESTIMATED THAT THEY EACH WORKED 150 HOURS IN WORKING GROUP MEETINGS AND ACTION TEAMS, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 24, 2500 HOURS OF YOUR CITIZENS TRYING TO TACKLE THIS, THIS ISSUE.
HERE'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN SUMMARIZED FROM THE LAST TIME.
WE MET WITH YOU IN MAY FROM MAY TO JULY.
SDR DID INITIAL PLANNING AND MET WITH CO-CONVENERS, GOT EVERYBODY ON BOARD, BEGAN TO DISCUSS THE SHARED FUNDING.
THANK YOU, CITY OF SEDONA, AS WELL AS OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THIS.
FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST, WE CONVENED THE WORK GROUP.
WE LEARNED, WE'VE BEEN INTO THE FIELD.
WE PROPOSED INITIAL STRATEGIES AND DEVELOPED THOSE FROM AUGUST TO JANUARY.
THOSE INITIAL STRATEGIES WERE LOOKED AT BY THE CO-CONVENERS.
THESE ARE THE CONVENERS THAT WILL BE EXECUTING AND IMPLEMENTING THESE POTENTIAL STRATEGIES.
THE CO-CONVENERS DID NOT VOTE WITHIN CONSENSUS.
THEY WERE THERE TO APPLY ANY REASONABLE SIDEBOARDS IF NEED BE, AND REALLY TO HELP GUIDE THE GROUP ON WHAT COULD AND WOULD BE IMPLEMENTABLE IN THE FUTURE.
IN MARCH, WE RELEASED THE PHASE ONE REPORT, THE BIG BOOK THAT YOUR MAYOR HAS JUST PUT ON THE DAIS.
AND IN APRIL, WE BEGAN THE ROAD SHOW.
YOU'RE THE SECOND WE TESTED OUT, UM, IT ON THE FOREST SERVICE LEADERSHIP.
HERE WE ARE THIS EVENING WITH SEDONA CITY COUNCIL.
MATT EBERHART BEHIND ME HAS A SLATED FOR A COUPLE OF STATE PARKS AND TRAILS.
CHARLIE'S QUEUED US UP FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND CRAIG HAS ALSO QUEUED US UP FOR AN EVENT AT, UM, KEEPS SADONA BEAUTIFUL.
AND WE HOPE THERE'S MORE, BECAUSE WE'D REALLY LIKE TO TELL FOLKS WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, JESSICA, AND WE'LL GET INTO THE MEET OF WHAT WE CAME UP WITH.
UM, SO WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IS REALLY HOW WE GOT TO THE STRATEGIES THAT WE CAME TO THAT YOU SEE IN THAT VERY EXTENSIVE REPORT.
UM, THIS GROUP SPENT A LOT OF TIME TACKLING CHALLENGES, AND THOSE CHALLENGES WERE LOOKED AT NOT ONLY FROM WHAT, WHAT THE CHALLENGES YOU MOST COMMONLY HEAR, BUT ALSO WITH THE ROOT CAUSES OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DEDICATION FROM THIS GROUP TO LOOK AT NOT ONLY WHAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE, BUT HOW WE REALLY ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF, OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
SO AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE THAT NOISE IS FREQUENTLY MENTIONED THAT AS A CHALLENGE.
UM, BUT AN EXAMPLE OF LOOKING A LITTLE BIT DEEPER IS THAT THAT NOISE IMPACT IS EXACERBATED BECAUSE MANY OF THE AREAS THAT OHVS USE ARE RIGHT ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS OR OTHER RECREATIONAL AREAS OF NON-MOTORIZED USERS.
UM, THIS ROOT CAUSE ASSESSMENT WAS REALLY GUIDED BY PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT THAT ANDY MENTIONED.
WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS, SHARED LEARNING, AND THEN ALSO THE ADOPTION OF THE INTERAGENCY VISITOR USE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK, WHICH THE GROUP DECIDED TO USE.
THIS IS A FRAMEWORK THAT'S OFTEN USED BY AGENCIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO INFORM THEIR, THEIR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR, FOR VISITOR USE, MANAGEMENT AND RECREATION MANAGEMENT MORE BROADLY.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT THE GROUP CAME UP WITH.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE VOLUME AND RECREATIONAL DEMAND WAS, THERE'S THREE BUCKETS OF OVERARCHING CHALLENGES.
ONE OF THOSE WAS VOLUME AND RECREATIONAL DEMAND.
UM, SO THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
YOU CAN THINK OF THIS AS SEDONA IS A REALLY POPULAR AREA, AND THAT'S POPULAR FOR NON-MOTORIZED RECREATION AND MOTORIZED RECREATION.
UM, THIS ALSO IS PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT.
THAT WAS THE SECOND CHALLENGE BUCKET.
UM, THIS IS LOOKING AT REALLY THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOTORIZED RECREATION IN THE SEDONA AREA ARE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
UM, AND THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S USED FOR MOTORIZED RECREATION WASN'T REALLY DESIGNED FOR MOTORIZED RECREATION.
UM, THESE ARE RANCHING ROADS, UH, THAT ARE ADJACENT TO REALLY IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCES.
THEY'RE ALSO REALLY ADJACENT TO, UH, RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A REALLY SENSITIVE DESERT ENVIRONMENT THAT THAT IS, UM, EASILY IMPACTED BY ALL SORTS OF RECREATION
[01:30:01]
IMPACTS.AND THEN FINALLY, USER BEHAVIOR.
AND THIS MAY BE THE MOST FAMILIAR TO ALL.
UM, WE LOOKED AT ILLEGAL AND INAPPROPRIATE USER BEHAVIOR THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE, THE GREATER SEDONA AREA.
UM, AND SOME OF THOSE ROOT CAUSES WERE, WE LOOKED AT WERE HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVERTISING THE, IT REALLY INFLUENCES THAT PERCEPTION OF WHAT APPROPRIATE USER BEHAVIOR MIGHT BE, THAT KIND OF TEAR IT UP EXPERIENCE THAT YOU MAY SEE IN COMMERCIALS.
UM, ALSO THE TYPE OF USER THAT COMING TO SEDONA MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH MOTORIZED RECREATION OR OUTDOOR RECREATION MORE BROADLY.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE'S A NOTE THAT, THAT THE SIGNAGE AND BARRIERS THAT EXIST, THE PHYSICAL BARRIERS TO MOTIVATE GOOD BEHAVIOR AND STAYING ON ROAD ARE NOT CONSISTENT OR PERHAPS NOT INFECTIVE GOOD.
SO ALL ALONG THE WAY TO, TO BUILD CONSENSUS, WE USE THIS, UM, THIS REALLY AWESOME APPROACH AND VERY ADVANCED, VERY TECHNICAL APPROACH WITH THE THUMBS.
AND SO ALL ALONG THE WAY, AS WE WERE DISCUSSING STRATEGIES, WE ITERATIVELY LOOKED AT, UM, WHERE PEOPLE WERE AT, WHERE THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WERE AT AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THOSE STRATEGIES.
AND SO THUMBS UP MEANT SUPPORT, THUMBS TO THE SIDE MEANT SUPPORT WITH RESERVATIONS.
MAYBE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, MAYBE YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS STRATEGY.
AND THEN FINALLY THUMBS DOWN WAS, UM, DO NOT SUPPORT THIS.
SO AS WE WERE DISCUSSING STRATEGIES, WE WERE CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN WITH THE WORKING GROUP WHERE THERE WERE RESERVATIONS OR DO NOT SUPPORT.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE RESERVATIONS WERE, HOW THEY COULD BE ADDRESSED, AND HOW THE STRATEGIES COULD BE IMPROVED.
AND IN TERMS OF WHAT CONSENSUS MEANS, THAT'S NOT A VOTE.
IT, UH, MEANS GENERALLY WHERE PEOPLE, THERE'S A GENERAL AGREEMENT.
UM, AND THAT LOOKS LIKE GENERAL AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPOSED STRATEGY.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF ALL THE STRATEGIES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS GROUP.
MARK'S GONNA GO INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL, UM, OF WHAT THOSE STRATEGIES ENTAILED.
AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY DETAILED IN THAT LARGE REPORT.
UM, SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THIS IS THAT, AS MENTIONED, UM, THE GROUP SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THOSE CHALLENGE BUCKETS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE STRATEGIES THEY WERE PROPOSING ADDRESS THEM.
SO EACH STRATEGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND THE ROOT CAUSES.
ANOTHER THING TO NOTE HERE IS THAT WE HAD A LOT OF FULL CONSENSUS ON STRATEGIES, WHICH IS REALLY AMAZING CONSIDERING THE DISPARATE VIEWS OF THIS GROUP AND, AND WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
UM, AND THEN ONE QUICK THING TO MENTION HERE IS WHERE WE SAY PARTIAL MOST, UM, THAT'S REALLY REFLECTIVE OF NEAR FULL CONSENSUS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR MEMBERS NOT AGREEING WITH THE STRATEGY.
AND THAT'S ALL NOTED IN THE, IN THE REPORT.
THE FOLLOWING SEVEN SLIDES SHOW THE OUTCOMES OF THE WORKING GROUP, INCLUDING THE STRATEGIES AND MAIN TACTICS PROPOSED.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE LEVEL OF CONSENSUS FOR EACH STRATEGY THAT WAS ACHIEVED.
THE WORKING GROUP USED AND MAINTAINED A DELIBERATE APPROACH TO DEVELOP THEIR STRATEGIES.
THIS APPROACH INCLUDED EXTENSIVE DATA COLLECTION AND A SUBSTANTIAL SHARED LEARNING PROCESS TO INFORM GROUP DECISION MAKING FOR SPEED LIMITS ACTION.
TEAM EFFORTS WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP SHOWED THAT SPEED WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN BOTH DUST AND NOISE.
AND THAT VEHICLES TRAVELING AT 15 MILES AN HOUR PRODUCE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS OF BOTH THAN EVEN 25 MILES PER HOUR.
BECAUSE OF THESE EFFORTS, MANY IN THE WORKING GROUP SOUGHT A 15 MILE, MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT ON DIRT ROADS.
PREVIOUS FOREST SERVICE ENGINEERING STUDIES ON FOREST ROAD 1 52 C SHOWED 25 MILES AN HOUR BEING APPROPRIATE FOR THESE FOREST SERVICE ROADS THAT ACCESS POPULAR OHV AREAS.
SPEED LIMITS CAN ONLY BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE FOREST SERVICE IF SUPPORTED BY THESE ENGINEERING STUDIES.
AND SOME IN THE WORKING GROUP FELT THAT THE PREVIOUS STUDIES WERE NOT THOROUGH ENOUGH.
THE WORKING GROUP PROPOSES A NEW ENGINEERING STUDY WITH REGULAR EVALUATION CONDUCTED BY A THIRD PARTY TO UNDERSTAND CURRENT CONDITIONS IF EXISTING SPEED LIMITS ARE APPROPRIATE, AND TO INFORM FUTURE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.
A FEW WORKING GROUP MEMBERS FELT THAT THE PREVIOUS ENGINEERING REPORTS CONCLUSION OF 25 MILES AN HOUR WAS APPROPRIATE AND RECOGNIZED.
THE ROADS THAT ACCESS OHV AREAS ARE POPULAR FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS FOR PERMIT SYSTEMS REQUIRING A PERMIT SYSTEM FOR RECREATION ON FOREST SERVICE LANDS REQUIRES WELL-FOUNDED REASONING AND AN INTENSIVE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
IT IS LIKELY A LONGER TERM STRATEGY.
OUR CO CONVENERS WERE HONEST ABOUT THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO A PERMIT SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWED THE WORKING GROUP TO HAVE INFORMED DISCUSSIONS TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.
OHV VOLUME REMAINS A PRIMARY ROOT CAUSE OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN THE AREA.
AND A PERMIT SYSTEM IN THE ASSOCIATED TACTICS WERE VIEWED BY THE WORKING GROUP AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR MANAGING VOLUME IN THE SEDONA REGION.
ONE WORKING GROUP MEMBER DID EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT HOW THIS PERMIT SYSTEM MAY IMPACT ALREADY PERMANENTED BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA.
[01:35:02]
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH ROCK WERE RECOGNIZED TO HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON VOLUME, USER RELATED IMPACTS AND USER BEHAVIOR.AN EXAMPLE BEING THE CONTINUED MODIFICATION OF VEHICLES TO INCLUDE MUFFLERS THAT REDUCE NOISE FROM THEIR CURRENT LEVELS.
CONTINUING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUSINESSES IN ROCK WAS ALSO VIEWED AS A WAY TO ADDRESS A VARIETY OF PRIORITIES THROUGH POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN LENGTHY FEDERAL REVIEW APPROVAL PROCESSES WITH THE BENEFIT OF SEEING POSITIVE RESULTS IN A SHORTER TIMEFRAME FOR MOTORIZED SYSTEM PLANNING.
THE TACTICS RELATED TO DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTING AN APPROPRIATE OHV ROUTE SYSTEM ESTABLISH THE BLUE BLUEPRINT FOR THE STRATEGY.
THESE TACTICS AIM TO ENSURE THAT A SYSTEM ADDRESSES IMPACTS AND DOES NOT RECREATE OR INCREASE THOSE IMPACTS.
AND PROPOSES SIDEBOARDS FOR A THIRD PARTY OHV PLANNER TO USE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR THE STRATEGIES.
THE CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT OF THE WORKING GROUP IN PLANNING A MOTORIZED SYSTEM.
AND THE GSRC VIEWS THIS INVOLVEMENT AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO ITS SUCCESS.
DEFINING EXPERIENCES SPEEDS, ACCESS, ROUTES AND SAFETY CAN ADDRESS MANY CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED, BUT IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE A LONGER TIMEFRAME.
SHORTER TERM PLANNING AND ROUTE MODIFICATIONS SUCH AS REALIGNING FOREST ROAD 1 52 C AWAY FROM THE ASTRAY NOCHE NEIGHBORHOOD AND A REDESIGN OF THE BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD ARE SEEN AS OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
A COUPLE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS DID EXPRESS CONCERN OVER THE POTENTIAL LOCATION OF A MOTORIZED TRAIL SYSTEM.
AND THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO A NEW SYSTEM BEING A POTENTIAL DESTINATION FOR OHV USE IN THE AREA.
INCREASING EDUCATIONAL MESSAGING AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CURRENT EFFORTS FROM OUR COVE AGENCIES AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON PROGRAMMING ON THE GROUND.
RESTORATION AND SIGNAGE PRESENTING UNIFIED MESSAGING AND BRANDING WILL ACHIEVE GREATER VISIBILITY AND IMPACT.
AND THE WORKING GROUP SEES CURRENT EFFORTS AS BEING IMPORTANT TO SEEING IMPROVEMENTS ON THE LAND AND WANTS TO STRENGTHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS IN THE AREA.
CONTINUING COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITHIN THE COOCH CONVENERS AND ACTIVE INPUT FROM THE WORKING GROUP WILL BE IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE TACTICS.
THESE ARE CURRENT EFFORTS HAPPENING IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT ARE LOOKING AT EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OHV USERS THAT MIRROR THE SENTIMENTS PRESENTED IN THE REPORT.
AND SOME OF OUR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ARE ACTIVE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AN ASSESSMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SIGNS AND BARRIERS BEING UTILIZED IS AN EFFECTIVE STARTING POINT FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION VIA SIGNAGE AND USING BARRIERS TO PREVENT DAMAGE AND RESTORE IMPACTED AREAS.
UNDERSTANDING CURRENT NEEDS AND ACTING ON THEM WITH MORE EDUCATION, INFORMATIONAL MESSAGING AND PHYSICALLY PREVENTING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ARE VIEWED AS SHORT-TERM ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT ARE PREVENTATIVE RESPONSIVE AND CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN PLACE.
THE WORKING GROUP RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING MONITORING TO BEST ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE ON THE LAND AND TO UNDERSTAND CHANGES AND TRENDS TO MAKE SURE THE STRATEGY REMAINS EFFECTIVE.
AND THE FINAL STRATEGY WE'LL PRESENT TODAY IS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
COORDINATED ENFORCEMENT AND VISITOR CONTACT EFFORTS WILL ALSO IMPROVE USER EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AND ENSURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OF OHV RELATED LAWS WILL HAVE THE IMPACT THAT'S INTENDED.
THE WORKING GROUP IN CO-CONVENERS SEE OPPORTUNITY IN THE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT THAT GSRC HAS CONTRIBUTED TO AND IS ENCOURAGED BY THE COOPERATION THAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
THIS IS ANOTHER ARENA THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE STATE LEVEL ALONG WITH ONGOING EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING LAWS, LANGUAGE CHANGES.
OUR LAW AND POLICY ACTION TEAM PUT FORWARD IN THEIR REPORT ARE BEING DISCUSSED AT THIS LEG LEGISLATIVE LEVEL TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEIR WORK TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND MAKE CITATIONS MORE ENFORCEABLE IN OUR COURTS.
AND OUR LAST SECTION HERE IS JUST TO FOCUS IN ON WHAT THE ACTION TEAMS ARE DOING.
SO AS, LEMME JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE HAVING ALL THESE SECTIONS, YOU HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE.
THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE QUESTIONS PER SECTION.
WOULD YOU, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T REALLY WANNA BE INTERRUPTED, BUT, UH, EVEN JUST THE LAST SECTION, I THINK WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONTINUE AND THEN HAVE TO GO BACK.
ARE THEY ABOUT THE PROCESS OR, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE CO-CONVENERS ARE GONNA CHIME IN ON THE STRATEGIES THEMSELVES.
SO IF, IF POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HEAR FROM THE CO-CONVENERS THAT MAY FILL IN THAT QUESTION FOR YOU, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
YOU'D RATHER WRITE 'EM DOWN? WE'LL WRITE 'EM DOWN.
SO AS ANDY MENTIONED, WE HAD FIVE ACTION TEAMS THAT WERE FOCUSED IN ON SPECIFIC TOPICS.
UM, THESE ACTION TEAMS, THE ROLE OF THEM WERE TO MEET OUTSIDE OF THE WORKING GROUPS AND
[01:40:01]
TO REALLY DIVE DEEP ON THESE TOP, UM, THEY MET TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND THEN ALSO TO SHARE BACK THEIR FINDINGS WITH THE WORKING GROUP.AND THIS WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL FOR INFORMING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIES THAT MARK JUST PRESENTED.
UM, WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE, THE TIME HERE TODAY TO DO JUSTICE TO ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT THESE GROUPS PUT IN, BUT WE DID JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW KEY OUTCOMES FROM THEM.
UM, FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATION OUTREACH OR ACTION TEAM, THEY HELPED US WITH THE WEBSITE DESIGN THE FORMAT OF THE AT A GLANCE MONTHLY REPORTS THAT WENT OUT TO THOSE WHO STAYED SIGNED UP TO STAY INFORMED.
THEY ALSO HELPED WITH MANY OF THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR PACKET TODAY, INCLUDING THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, THE PRESS RELEASE AND MORE.
UM, THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING TEAM RECOGNIZED EARLY ON THAT FOR IMPLEMENTATION TO HAPPEN FOR THESE STRATEGIES, THERE'S GONNA NEED TO BE AN INVESTMENT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
AND THEY CREATED A REALLY EXTENSIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY OF THOSE POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FROM BOTH GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL, UH, SOURCES.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION TEAM DID A LOT OF WORK CONVENING SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES FOR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION SPECIFIC TO SEDONA AND ALSO SPECIFIC TO TO IMPACT FROM MOTORIZED RECREATION.
AND THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THAT WORK NOW.
DATA GATHERING AND MONITORING ACTION TEAM RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF HAVING, UM, DATA FOR INFORMED DECISION MAKING FOR THE WORKING GROUP AND ALSO FOR THE LAND MANAGERS.
THEY SPENT TIME WORKING ON VEHICLE COUNTS, UM, VALIDATING THE RESULTS OF AUTOMATED VEHICLE COUNTERS THAT ARE OUT ON THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH MANUAL ACCOUNTS AND HOW, AND, UM, ALSO THROUGH GAME CAMERAS.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN, IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEHICLE TYPE, SPEED, DUST, AND NOISE.
UH, AND THEY HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING RESULTS THAT YOU CAN FIND IN, IN THE REPORT THERE.
AND THEN MARK SPOKE WELL TO THE POLICY AND LEGISLATION EFFORTS THAT TEAM LOOKED AT POLICY AT THE STATE LEVEL, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POTENTIAL CHANGES TO EXISTING POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW POLICIES.
MANY OF THAT WENT, MANY OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS WENT TO THE FULL WORKING GROUP FOR CONSENSUS, THOUGH NOT ALL OF THEM.
AND NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR COOCH CONVENERS AND ALSO SOME WORKING GROUP MEMBERS TO REFLECT ON, ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROCESS.
AND NEXT STEPS FIRST STEP WILL BE PLANNING AND ZONING.
I'M A RESIDENT OF YAVAPAI COUNTY.
I'M THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONER FOR YAVAPI, UH, ONE OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONERS FOR YAVAPAI COUNTY.
AND I'VE BEEN THE COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVE.
SO WHERE THE COUNTY HAS REALLY FOCUSED THEIR EFFORTS SINCE THE OHV PROBLEMS PER SE DON'T HAPPEN IN ON COUNTY LAND WHERE WE CAN ENFORCE IT, BUT THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE FOREST SERVICE LANDS.
AND WE JUST HAD A BILL THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY OUR, UH, PRO BONO LOBBYISTS THAT WORKS WITH OUR, MY, OUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR, BILL 1176, THE FIRST BILL TO GET UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FROM APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR ONGOING STATEWIDE FUNDING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR OHV.
SO THIS IS, YOU NEVER GET UNANIMOUS FROM APPROPRIATIONS IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA 'CAUSE IT MEANS ALL THE REPUBLICANS AND ALL THE DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR IT.
WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AS APPROPRIATE AND WE, WE JUST RECEIVED THE COUNTY JUST RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
NOW, IT'S NOT EARMARKED FOR OHV, BUT IT INCREASES OUR OVERALL ABILITY TO DO ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE ON ALL THE KINDS OF PROJECTS.
THERE'S ONE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH I, I WON'T REALLY LIKE, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA MEAN IT'S GONNA TAKE ME 15 MINUTES LONGER TO GET INTO TOWN.
BUT PUTTING THE BARRIERS ALONG DRY CREEK ROAD TO PREVENT THE PARKING, TO REDUCE THE SAFETY ISSUE, THAT'S NOT JUST OHV, BUT IT IS MOTORIZED RECREATION ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WHERE EVERYWHERE YOU GO IN THE COUNTY WHERE THERE'S A FOREST SERVICE PARKING LOT FOR A TRAILHEAD, YOU FIND PARKING ON THE STREETS SOMETIMES AS LONG AS A MILE FROM THE ON PUBLIC ROADS.
BUT, BUT THE BIG ONE HERE IS THIS 1176, WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR ONGOING STATEWIDE ENFORCEMENT FOR HVS.
THAT'S REALLY NEXT UP WE HAVE TIM HOLT FROM THE ARIZONA GAME AND FISH MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCILLORS.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES.
UM, FROM A GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE, I JUST WANNA GO INTO A FEW THINGS THAT,
[01:45:01]
UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UM, DOING AS PART OF OUR STANDARD BUSINESS AND A FEW PLACES THAT WE CAN ENHANCE AS WELL.SO, UM, FIRST ONE, PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING IS A RECENT HIRING OF A DEDICATED OHV LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THIS AREA.
RICHARD MOSES
SO WE ARE, WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL TO GET RICH MOSES BACK.
UM, AND HE KNOWS THE JOB VERY WELL 'CAUSE HE DID IT FOR US FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS PRIOR TO GOING TO DPS.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR OHV LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROLS SATURATION PATROLS, UM, IN THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE GSRC AREA WITH THE FORCE SERVICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND YAP, PI COUNTY.
UM, AND GENERALLY WE FOCUS THESE IN THE SPRINGTIME, RIGHT? THAT'S THE BUSY TIME OF YEAR AND THE FALL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR COORDINATION WITH THE OHV RENTAL COMPANIES STATEWIDE FOR EXHIBITION OF THE OHV SAFETY VIDEO.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST SUCCESS STORIES I THINK OF THIS, OF THIS GROUP.
BUT ALL, UH, I THINK MOST OF YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY HEARD, THE OHP RENTAL COMPANIES ARE REPORTING 80, 70 TO 80% LESS ACCIDENTS.
UM, SINCE THAT VIDEO IS BEING SHOWN, AGAIN, IT'S VOLUNTARY.
WE DON'T HAVE A STATE LAW OR, OR ANY KIND OF ORDINANCE, LOCAL COUNTY ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SAYS THEY HAVE TO SHOW IT.
SO THE, THE RENTAL COMPANIES HAVE DONE THIS ON THEIR OWN AND IT'S MADE A DIFFERENCE.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST SUCCESS STORIES OUT OF THIS GROUP.
UM, DISTRIBUTION, UH, CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF OUR OHV EDUCATION MATERIALS IN THE FIELD AND OUTDOOR RECREATION EVENTS.
UM, SOMETHING THAT IS NEW IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF AS WE PRODUCE THESE THINGS IN SPANISH.
UM, AND WE SEE, WE DON'T SEE IT SO MUCH HERE, THE NEED FOR THE SPANISH, UM, ISSUANCE OF THESE BROCHURES AND EDUCATION, BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.
VERY BIG, UH, VERY BIG PRESENCE FROM OUR, UH, SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO ENHANCE OUR PARTICIPATION WITH ROCK NOW THAT RICH IS HERE.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR COORDINATION WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING EFFORTS FOR, FOR ROUTE MANAGEMENT AND ALSO OUR COORDINATION WITH THE LOCAL LANDOWNERS, UH, PERMITTEES RANCHERS AND SO FORTH.
UM, CONTINUE PARTICIPATION WITH THE GSRC FOR THE, LIKE I SAID, THE ROUTE PLANNING.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, NOT ONLY JUST FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT AT THE CORE OF OUR MISSION THAT, UH, FROM A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STANDPOINT, THAT THE WILDLIFE WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL DURING THAT PLANNING EFFORT.
SO, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE THAT I'VE ALWAYS HAD A VISION FOR, JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME OR THE FUNDING OF THE PERSONNEL TO DO, IS WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL COURTS TO DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR MANDATORY OHV EDUCATION.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PROCESS FOR ON OUR, ON OUR GAME AND FISH VIOLATION SIDE STANDPOINT THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE MANDATORY EDUCATION ON SOME, UM, ON SOME VIOLATIONS AND ALSO A DONATION BACK TO OUR, WHAT WE CALL OUR WILDLIFE THEFT PREVENTION FUND.
WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF DUPLICATE THAT EFFORT WITH THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE, UM, SIDE OF THINGS, UM, HERE IN THE NEW NEAR FUTURE, MAYBE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, BUT THAT'LL BE A LOCAL COURT THING.
SO THAT'S IT FROM GAME OF FISH PERSPECTIVE.
NEXT UP IS MATT EVERHART WITH ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS INVOLVEMENT IN THE, IN THE PROCESS AND OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.
I'M MATTHEW EBERHART, THE STATE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE COORDINATOR WITH ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS.
I'VE BEEN SERVING AS THAT ROLE IN THAT ROLE FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW.
AND AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS UTILIZE TWO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE EDUCATION OR OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE PROGRAM GRANTS FOR A TOTAL OF $99,950 RELATED TO SDR SERVICES FOR FACILITATING THIS VERY UNIQUE AND PASSIONATE GROUP.
AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, MOVING FORWARD, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS CURRENTLY HAS A SEAT ON THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE, UM, COUNCIL AT THE LEGISLATURE WHERE OUR DIRECTOR OR HIS DESIGNEE SERVES FOR THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE FOCUSED, UM, EFFORTS.
THERE'S CURRENTLY SEVERAL LEGISLATIVE BILLS RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE EDUCATION, SIZE AND WEIGHT AND OTHER THINGS RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE EDUCATION THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH AND LISTENING TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE COMMITTEES AND, UH, FOLLOW THOSE BILLS.
WE'RE ALSO CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE APPRECIATE AZ CAMPAIGN WITH THE OFFICE OF TOURISM AND TREAD LIGHTLY RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE SPECIFIC MESSAGING.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES AND THE APPRECIATE AZ CAMPAIGN CURRENTLY, THEY'RE NOW GOING TO EXPAND INTO A MOTORIZED SECTION THAT IS GOING TO FOCUS JUST ON THE TREAD PRINCIPLES AND PROMOTING SAVE AND ETHICAL OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WITH THAT, WE'LL DEVELOP TOOLS TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO CITIES LIKE YOURSELF TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN MATERIALS RELATED TO PICKING IMAGING MESSAGING SPECIFIC TO YOUR USERS AND PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD HELP YOU TO PROMOTE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE USE FOR WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE TO SEDONA OR OTHER SIMILAR TOWNS AND CITIES RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION.
[01:50:01]
AN AGENCY WITHIN ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS.WE HAVE OUR OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT I MANAGE WHERE WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ENGAGED IN TRAILSIDE MEET AND GREETS, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EVENTS.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA WORK WITH ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT FOR YOUTH CURRICULUM RELATED TO THE QUAIL KIDS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF OTHER RESPONSIBLE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE EDUCATION, UM, EFFORTS, CLEANUPS, TRAIL MAINTENANCE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, TREAD LIGHTLY, UH, ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND THE STATE LAND DEPARTMENT AND TREAD LIGHTLY IN GAME AND FISH ON THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE DEALERSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM WHERE WE'VE DEVELOPED AND PACKED 10,000 BACKPACKS.
CURRENTLY 5,000 OF THEM HAVE BEEN PACKED AND ARE READY FOR DISTRIBUTION.
WE HAVE JUST OVER 2000 DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERSHIPS ACROSS THE STATE WHERE AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A BACKPACK WITH A VARIETY OF INFORMATION ON TREAD PRINCIPLES, WHERE TO GO, HOW TO BEHAVE WHEN THEY ARRIVE, UM, AND THAT'S FREE TO THE DEALERSHIPS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO EXPAND THAT EFFORT IN WORKING WITH TREAD LIGHTLY AND THOSE OTHER PARTNERS TO GAUGE INTEREST.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT, I BELIEVE, A A HUNDRED DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ACROSS THE STATE THAT WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO.
UM, BUT AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 2000 DISTRIBUTED THAT ARE ALREADY GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND IT'S A CONTINUED, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
UM, AND AS ALWAYS, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS RECEIVE 60% OF THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION FUND, WHICH WE DISTRIBUTE 88% TOWARDS GRANTS.
AND THAT CAN BE FOR ANYTHING FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ANYTHING RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION, WHETHER IT'S TRAILHEAD DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FACILITIES, TRAIL MAINTENANCE, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFIC GRANTS, EMERGENCY AND MITIGATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL SITES AND HABITAT RESOURCES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THAT'S OUR PRIMARY DRIVE AT STATE PARKS IS DISTRIBUTING THOSE GRANT DOLLARS.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO STATE PARKS.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE POT THAT YOU DISTRIBUTE THAT WE DISTRIBUTE? SO IT'S A ROLLING PROCESS.
SO THE FA EXCUSE ME, THE POT IS FILLED BY THE RESIDENT NON-RESIDENT AND ONE HALF OF 1% OF ALL GAS TAX.
THOSE THREE FUNDS MAKE UP THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION FUND, WHICH WE RECEIVE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DEADLINE OR AN END DATE.
IT, IT DOES ROLL OVER AT THE END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR, WHICH OUR FISCAL YEAR RUNS JULY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH.
SO WHAT'S IN THE, WHAT CURRENTLY? THE POT HAS $4.4 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS.
ALEX SCHLUTER, RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
I'M THE ACTING DISTRICT RANGER ON THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT AND A RESIDENT OF VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK.
AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF THE OHV WORKING GROUP MEMBERS AS WELL AS SDR AND THE CO-CONVENERS.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY USEFUL PRODUCT.
THIS THIS REPORT BOTH FOR THE DISTRICT, FOR THE FOREST, AND FOR MYSELF BEING NEW IN THIS ROLE TO, TO HAVE THIS PALLET OF OPTIONS TO LOOK AT AND THINK THROUGH THESE SITUATIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK SPECIFICS HERE.
SO SHORT TERM, BREAKING THIS INTO TWO SLIDES, SHORT TERM, THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE ONGOING ALREADY.
ONES THAT WE WANT TO START, PLAN TO START, OR ONES THAT WE WANNA WORK WITH A PARTNER TO COMPLETE WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT FINISH IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS CONTINUING TO BUILD OUR PROGRAM INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY WITH PARTNERS TO GET OUT THERE AND DO THESE RESTORATION PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE IMPACTS OF OHVS.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT THERE, PROBABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN LOCATION FOR OHV IMPACTS IS THE DONUT AND THE LEFT PICTURE IS THE ORIGINAL DAMAGE.
THE RIGHT PICTURE IS AFTER INSTALLATION OF FENCING AS WELL AS SEEDING.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT GREEN COMING BACK AND THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD ON THAT PROJECT.
THE SECOND BULLET HERE, UH, RELATED TO GROWING OUR PROGRAM, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR A COUPLE YEARS TO HIRE AN OHV COORDINATOR, A PERMANENT POSITION THAT IS THEIR YEAR ROUND.
THIS IS A FIELD GOING POSITION, COLLABORATES WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH RED ROCK OHV CONSERVATION CORPS AND OTHERS.
GOOD NEWS, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD AN ACCEPTANCE OF A TENTATIVE OFFER FOR THAT POSITION.
SO WITHIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS, THAT PERSON SHOULD BE HERE ON THE GROUND IN THE FLESH, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, IN LIEU OF THAT, WE'VE HAD TEMPORARY POSITIONS.
SO TEMPORARY POSITIONS ARE LIMITED TO ABOUT A SIX MONTH TIMEFRAME, BUT THEY'VE, THEY'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD SUCCESS WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH, WITH ROCK, WITH FRIENDS OF FOREST AND WITH THE COCONINO TRAILS CLUB.
MOVING ON TO THE FOURTH BULLET THERE, 1 52 C EYEBROW ROAD REALIGNMENT.
MARK MENTIONED THIS, THIS IS A ROAD THAT A FORMER ROAD THAT RUNS PARALLEL TO 1 52 C AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE APPROACHED US WITH A PROPOSAL TO MOVE THE ALIGNMENT TO THAT FORMER ROAD
[01:55:01]
AND GET THAT ROAD A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY FROM THE RESIDENCES AND REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS.IT'S, WE'VE RECEIVED THEIR PROPOSAL, WE'RE REVIEWING IT NOW.
I EXPECT THAT TO BE MOVING FORWARD RELATIVELY QUICKLY, CERTAINLY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.
THAT SECOND TO LAST BULLET ALSO GOT MENTIONED.
UM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A SUBSET OF OUR WORKING GROUP TO HELP US MAKE SURE THAT WE DESIGN A SPEED STUDY, BOTH IN LINE WITH FOREST SERVICE, UM, UH, POLICY, AS WELL AS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PERCEIVED SHORTFALLS OF PRIOR STUDIES AND MAKE SURE WE GET SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS.
WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT, BUT IF WE CAN FIND A WILLING PARTNER, WE CAN FIND THE CAPACITY TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
LASTLY, UH, THE BIGGER PROJECT ON HERE OF ALL OF THESE BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD REDESIGN.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TWO BIGGEST IMPACTS OF BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD ARE TRAFFIC, CONGESTION AND NOISE.
SO THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION STARTS WITH THE, THE DESIGN THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
WHEN SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TURN AROUND, THEY HAVE TO DO A THREE OR MORE POINT TURN AND TRAFFIC BACKS UP.
THAT EXACERBATES THE OTHER ISSUE.
THE NOISE NOISE IS BAD ENOUGH WHEN OHVS AND OTHER VEHICLES ARE RUNNING BY ON MORGAN ROAD, BUT WHEN THEY HAVE TO STOP TO STAGE OR AIR DOWN OR WAIT FOR TRAFFIC INGESTION, AGAIN, THAT NOISE, UH, IS EXACERBATED AND BECOMES AN EVEN GREATER IMPACT.
SO I'M HOPING TO WORK WITH YOUR CITY STAFF TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF THOSE GRANTS, MATT, WINK, WINK, UH, AND, AND DO A PROJECT TO REDESIGN THIS TRAILHEAD TO DO TWO THINGS.
THE FIRST IS TO IMPROVE THAT TRAFFIC FLOW, GET RID OF THAT ONE WAY AND ONE WAY OUT, HAVE A CIRCULAR FLOW WHERE WE CAN'T PREVENT ALL OF THE TRAFFIC ISSUES, BUT CERTAINLY COULD REDUCE THE TRAFFIC ISSUES SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE'D ALSO WIDEN THE ENTRANCE ROAD SO THAT IT'S TWO-WAY TRAFFIC.
RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY ONLY ONE VEHICLE BY, YOU CAN PROBABLY SQUEEZE TWO FOR THE MOST PART, BUT YOU GOTTA SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THEN LASTLY, THERE WOULD BE A STAGING AREA, PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, TALKING ABOUT THE NOISE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE HOUSES AND AT THE TRAIL HEAD.
AND I THINK THAT'S IT FOR THIS SLIDE.
SO LET'S GO TO THE SECOND ONE.
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT COULD START, YOU KNOW, SOONER, BUT REALLY PROBABLY MORE REALISTICALLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS AND THEN TWO THROUGH FIVE YEARS.
THE FIRST BULLET IS REALLY CONTINUATION OF THE FIRST BULLET FROM THE LAST SLIDE, BUT I PUT THIS IN HERE AS WELL BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT WITH ANY OHE PRESENCE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTS AND WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO NEED TO ADDRESS THEM AS THEY, AS THEY POP UP.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE ONE PERSON GO OFF TRAIL, IT MIGHT NOT SHOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT, BUT A COUPLE DO.
WE NOTICE THAT THROUGH MONITORING WE WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND WITH A BIGGER, MORE ROBUST PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD, WE CAN BE THERE FASTER, GET THROUGH OUR PLANNING PROCESSES AND ADDRESS AND PREVENT THOSE IMPACTS MORE EFFICIENTLY.
SECOND BULLET HERE, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE REDESIGN THE BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD, THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES SUCCESSFULLY REDUCE IMPACTS.
SO PART OF THE DESIGN OF THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MONITORING LOOKS LIKE.
THERE'S BEEN SOME REALLY GOOD MONITORING EFFORTS SO FAR.
OUR MONITORING ACTION TEAM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT TITLE, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THE RIGHT TITLE.
THEY'VE DONE REALLY GOOD WORK TRYING TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THAT DATA COLLECTION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
MAKE SURE WE KNOW FROM THE START WHAT DATA WE NEED TO COLLECT TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS OF IS IT SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.
IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S AWESOME.
I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS.
IF IT'S NOT SUCCESSFUL, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A KEY TO THE FOREST SERVICE THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
AND THEN LASTLY, THIS IS THINKING ABOUT OUR CAPACITY AS AN AGENCY.
RIGHT NOW I LOOK AT OUR ORG CHART AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE IS ALWAYS DAY TO DAY, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, KEEP THE TOILETS CLEAN, COLLECT TRASH.
BEYOND THAT, WE DO OUR BEST TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, WHICH ARE VERY, VERY BROAD.
OUR DAY-TO-DAY AND OUR, OUR OUR DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FILL OUR PLATE.
AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED HELP WITH AND MORE, MORE CAPACITY FOR IS THAT BROADER VIEW, STRATEGIC VIEW OF PLANNING.
AND SO I'M WORKING INTERNALLY TO GET SUPPORT AND EVENTUALLY HIRE A RECREATION PLANNING LEAD TO WORK ON OHV PROJECTS AS WELL AS OTHER RECREATION RELATED PROJECTS SPECIFIC TO OHVS.
IN THIS REPORT, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT I THINK IS REALLY GONNA PAY A LOT OF DIVIDENDS IS THAT ROUTE PLANNING THAT MARK DESCRIBED.
AND SO THERE'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE FOR AT LEAST A SUBSET OF THE OHP WORKING GROUP TO HELP US WALK THAT LINE BETWEEN CREATING AN EXPERIENCE THAT'S A QUALITY EXPERIENCE OUT THERE THAT MEETS IT, THAT MEETS FOREST SERVICE DIRECTION UNDER OUR FOREST PLAN, BUT ALSO DOESN'T CREATE A DESTINATION AND DOESN'T BECOME AN EVEN BIGGER TOURIST DRAW.
WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA NEED HELP WITH THAT.
AND THEN SEEKING FUNDING FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT ASPECT.
UM, QUESTIONS NOW OR LATER? WELL, I THINK BECAUSE OF, UH, YOUR TOPIC, ALEX, I THINK WE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE DAIS, I BELIEVE AS FAR AS, UH, MORGAN ROAD, BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD.
[02:00:02]
ONE SLIDE LEFT.YEAH, THERE'S JUST, UM, ALRIGHT, JUST DON'T, DON'T LEAVE THE BUILDING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE RIGHT BEHIND US FOR QUESTIONS, WHICH I KNOW YOU HAVE MANY.
I WENT TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE WE STARTED
OKAY, LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST ONE OF YOUR OWN COUNSELOR DUNN.
SO I WANNA MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THAT I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE COUNCIL AS I GO THROUGH THIS.
AND I DID NOT REPRESENT THE COUNCIL.
WHEN I SAT AS A COVENA, IT WAS BASICALLY AS AN EXTENDED STAFF MEMBER AT THE BEHEST OF THE, UM, FORMER CITY MANAGER, KAREN K ANNETTE HAD NO CLUE WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THAT TIME.
NOW SHE KNOWS, UM, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO, TO SEE IN THE NEXT SET OF SLIDES IS BASICALLY WHAT WE AS A CITY CAN DO.
RE REMEMBERING THAT MOST OF THE ISSUES DO NOT RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF SEDONA.
THEY RESIDE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS WITHIN COUNTY OR WITHIN THE FOREST SERVICE.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE I COULD SAY THIS WITHOUT EVERYONE ON THE DAES JUMPING ON ME.
I THINK WE'RE PRETTY AWARE THAT, UM, IF THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE BEHAVIORS, IT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IS A PRIMARY ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THEREFORE YOU WILL SEE US, OR IN HERE YOU'LL SEE REFERENCES TO WHAT THE CITY CAN DO TO SUPPORT, BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT THE OWNERS OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE THESE SLIDES, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE THESE SLIDES? NO, NO, NO.
THERE WAS ONE SLIDE MAP FROM GREG.
THEY WERE SWEAT, THEY WERE SENT LAST NIGHT.
THERE WAS AN ERROR IN THE, THE PREVIOUSLY DOWNLOADED VERSION AND JOANNE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE MOST, SHE, JOANNE SENT THEM OUT, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
SO SCREEN I SEE IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD? MM-HMM.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR FIRST OF ALL THAT THE SUPPORT THAT, UM, ISSUES THAT CAME OUT, I DIDN'T MAKE THESE UP.
THEY'RE ALSO BASED ON THE DIRECTIVES THAT WERE FOUND INSIDE THE SEDONA COMMUNITY PLAN THAT WE JUST RATIFIED.
NOT THE OLD ONE, BUT THE NEW ONE.
UM, AND I THINK I, I BELIEVE YOU WERE SENT ALL SENT THE DOCUMENT THAT I WROTE THAT WAS BASICALLY THE BASIS FOR THESE SLIDES.
UM, KAREN REVIEWED THAT, UM, GAVE ME FEEDBACK AND CORRECTIONS AND SO THOSE WERE THEN INCORPORATED.
SO ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN VETTED.
THIS ISN'T, UM, MY BEING COMPLETELY RANDOM.
PROBABLY A LITTLE RANDOM, BUT NOT COMPLETELY.
SO BASED ON THAT, I STARTED WITH THE USER BEHAVIOR.
UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU SEE IN BOLD AND WHERE WE COULD, UM, PROVIDE SUPPORT IS THE OVERALL STRATEGY.
WE CAN INCREASE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION THROUGH EXISTING, UM, AND NEW CHANNELS AND METHODS.
FOR THIS, WE CANNOT SAY WE ALREADY HAVE OFFERED THE USE OF THE CITY STATE, UM, STATE LOBBYISTS.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UM, ALREADY WHERE WE'VE GONE IN AND, AND TRIED TO GET, UM, EDUCATION MANDATORY EDUCATION, SO FORTH AND SO ON, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.
UM, IF THERE IS A STATE LAW REGARDING MANDATORY EDUCATION, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD THEN ENFORCE THAT LAW IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED FOR SOME OTHER REASON.
SO I'VE ALSO, BY THE WAY, HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, AS THESE WERE ALL BEING CREATED AND ON BEHEST OF THE, UH, GROUP.
GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, UH, SHARED RESOURCES THAT WERE MENTIONED, UM, BY, UH, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND ALSO BY GAME AND FISH, THAT WE WOULD THEN USE THESE THROUGH OUR TOURISM DEPARTMENT AS THEY BEGIN TO BUILD OUT ITS STRATEGY AROUND BRANDING AND ADVERTISING.
UM, THE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION OF PUBLIC LANDS THROUGH IGAS, WHICH WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
INTERGOVERNMENT INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.
AND THE SUPPORT MAY TAKE THE FORM OF MONIES AGREEMENT TO FUND A STUDY, WHICH WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY THAT WE, THAT WE FUNDED.
UM, ALL OF THIS REQUIRES CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, SO NONE OF THIS IS BEING GUARANTEED.
ALL OF THIS ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, UM, AS THESE IDEAS ARE PRESENTED FORWARD, UM, WE CAN ALSO THEN IN INCREASE THE USE OF APPROPRIATE BARRIERS AND SIGNAGE REGARDING THE OOHV USAGE AND BEHAVIORS.
UM, WE'VE GIVEN INTO ROCK AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO TRY AND ALREADY WORK ON ALL OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO WE COULD DO FUNDING FOR TESTING, MONITORING EQUIPMENT OR ACTIVITY BARRIER MATERIALS, INSTALLATION OF SIGNS AND BARRIERS.
UM, ALL OF THESE WOULD REQUIRE APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY
[02:05:01]
CONSIDERATIONS AND OR A SPECIFIC SET OF LANGUAGES WITHIN AN IGA.SO ALL OF THIS WOULD REQUIRE COMING BACK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
AGAIN, THIS IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ANY OF THIS WILL COME TO PASS.
THIS IS JUST WHAT WE COULD DO.
GOING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING SIGNAGE AND BARRIERS.
UM, I THINK I ALREADY DID THAT SLIDE, SORRY.
GOING TO MOTORIZED ROOT PLANNING THAT'S IN THERE.
THE OTHER ONE'S IN THERE TWICE.
HERE WE COULD SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF ROOT ROOT PLANNING, WHERE THE NEW OHV ROUTES ARE FOCUSED ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE, LOCAL HERITAGE SITES, ALL OF WHICH COMES OUT OF, UM, OUR COMMUNITY PLAN.
WE ALSO WOULD LOOK AT MITIGATING SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY, SUCH AS WHAT IS HAPPENING OVER AT BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD OFF OF MORGAN.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE A FOCUS ON SAFETY, HOWEVER, CARL AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DATA, UM, AND AND MONITORING TEAM HAVE DONE WORK ON SHOWING HOW NOISE, UM, HAS A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH AND ON HUMAN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
SO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ALSO COMES INTO PLAY, UM, PERMITTING TO, UH, LIMIT THE OVERALL NUMBERS OF ALLOWED OHVS PORTRAYAL.
OBVIOUSLY, PERMITTING IS SOMETHING THAT'S OF INTEREST TO THE CITY.
UM, WE WOULD WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY PERMITTING SYSTEMS. UM, RIGHT NOW, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT PERMITTING SO FAR OTHER THAN IN THE OVERALL.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LAST SLIDE.
WE'D INVITE CRAIG SWANSON FROM KEEP SEDONA BEAUTIFUL, AND NINA BARLOW FROM BARLOW ADVENTURES
SO I'M NINA BARLOW, UH, WITH BARLOW ADVENTURES.
UH, WE OWN BARLOW JEEP RENTALS HERE IN TOWN.
UM, AND I AM, UM, ALSO ON THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE GSRC.
AND I'M CRAIG SWANSON, UH, ON THE WORKING GROUP PRESIDENT OF KEEP SEDONA.
AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF INTRODUCTORY THINGS I'D LIKE TO MENTION.
ALL OF THE ACTIONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT SO FAR ARE BECAUSE OF THE OHV CRISIS IN SEDONA AND THE CREATION OF THIS GROUP.
THE CREATION OF THIS GROUP HAS SPAWNED ACTIVITY THAT IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY MUCH LIKE SOLVING THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM IN SEDONA.
THIS IS AN INCREMENTAL PROCESS.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ONE ISSUE, ONE EVENT THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
IT'S GONNA BE A COLLECTION OF THINGS OVER TIME THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
THE WORKING GROUP IS REALLY INTERESTED IN CONTINUING ON WITH THIS.
WE FOUND THIS EXTREMELY VALUABLE, UH, AND PRETTY MUCH TO A PERSON.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS, AND PART OF THAT IS PROVIDING THE STRATEGY ON PRIORITIZATION.
THESE ARE TASKS THAT THE FOREST SERVICE WILL TACKLE.
THE WORKING GROUP ISN'T GOING TO TACKLE IT, BUT WE'RE READY TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE, UH, TO THE CO-CONVENERS AS THEY WORK ON PRIORITIZING THESE.
AND I WANT TO NOTE ALSO THAT THERE'S ANY TIME ONE OF THE CO-CONVENERS STARTS TAKING ACTION ON ONE OF THESE.
THEIR PROCESS IS GONNA INCLUDE ROBUST PUBLIC OUTREACH.
EVEN THOUGH THE PAPER SAID THAT, UH, OUR MEETINGS WERE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, WE NEVER INTENDED THIS TO BE A PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS.
THE PUBLIC OUTREACH COMES WHEN A PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE IS MADE.
AND UNTIL THEN, THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH, UH, IS NOT IN THE CARDS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO HELP ANY WAY WE CAN ON PRIORITIZING THE STRATEGIES.
UM, UH, AS CRAIG SAID, THIS IS NOT, UM, THERE, THERE ARE SOME SHORT TERM THINGS, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME ALL RIGHT.
THERE ARE LONG TERM THINGS, BUT I THINK MOST OF US IN THE WORKING GROUP UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT, UM, A ONE AND DONE SORT OF THING.
THIS IS ONGOING, POTENTIALLY INDEFINITELY.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING.
SO, UM, THE, UH, WITH REGARD TO TRIBUTE, LET'S DISTRIBUTING EXISTING AND NEW COMMUNICATION EDUCATION EFFORTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE TOPICS WHERE WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
WE HAVE AMAZING RESOURCES WITH, UH, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS AND GAME AND FISH WHO HAVE ALREADY CREATED SOME AMAZING THINGS AS WELL
[02:10:01]
AS TREAD LIGHTLY.AND, AND AS MELISSA MENTIONED, CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY'S NEW DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, EXISTING CHAMBER THINGS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN, THROUGH THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES.
UM, SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S JUST CONNECTING DOTS.
THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN EASY THING.
AND A LOT OF THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
AS TIM MENTIONED, THE GAME AND FISH VIDEO HAS, UM, JUST HAD A TREMENDOUS POSITIVE RESULT ON, ON THE RENTAL INDUSTRY HERE.
UM, AND SO IT'S THE, THE, LIKE I SAID, NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, CONTINUING WITH GREAT THINGS WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO THAT IS A, A, A QUICKER THING,
AND, AND WHEN THE STRATEGIES ARE PRIORITIZED, AND ONE OF THE CO-CONVENERS TAKE BEGINS TO TAKE ACTION ON SOMETHING, AND THE OUTLINE OF THE STEPS THEY'RE GONNA TAKE, STARTS FIRMING UP.
THE NEED FOR MONEY IS GONNA COME INTO PLACE THAT MAY BE SUPPLIED BY THE COVENA THEMSELVES.
THEY MAY COME TO THE WORKING GROUP AND SAY, YOU GUYS DID ALL SORTS OF, UH, EXPLORATION INTO FUNDING SOURCES.
WHAT SHOULD WE GO AFTER? WE'RE THERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO SECURE THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THAT THE CO-CONVENERS INSTIGATE.
UM, I, I THINK MONITORING WA WAS MENTIONED ALSO ALREADY, UH, THESE THINGS AS WE, SOME OF THESE PROPOSED STRATEGIES ARE IMPLEMENTED, MONITORING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IS OF COURSE, UH, CRITICAL TO THAT.
UM, AND SOME OF THE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT, UH, LIKE THE, UH, ROCK IS DOING ALREADY AND CAN CONTINUE TO DO AND CAN, AND, AND SOME OF THE WORK WE DID WITH BRIAN PRO, PRO BRIAN P
SO, UH, WHERE SIGNAGE IS NEEDED, WHERE BARRIERS ARE NEEDED, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UM, MONITOR THE WORK WE'VE DONE AND WHAT WE LEARN CARRYING FORWARD TO DO BETTER ON NEW PROJECTS.
SO, AND LOBBYING FOR CHANGES, UH, PARTICULARLY AT THE STATE LEVEL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE ALL KNOW ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE THE STATE OF ARIZONA DEEMS IN ITS WISDOM THAT O HVS ARE STREET LEGAL.
WELL, THAT FIGHT TO CHANGE THAT WITHIN ARIZONA IS NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, PARTICULARLY MEMBERS OF NONPROFITS, ARE HERE TO HELP COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT THOSE INITIATIVES ARE, WHAT WE NEED HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND LETTING THE LEGISLATORS KNOW THEY NEED TO DO.
THE CO-CONVENERS CAN'T LOBBY THEMSELVES.
IT HAS TO BE THE PUBLIC THAT LOBBIES FOR CHANGES.
AND ONE OF OUR ACTION TEAMS, THE LAW AND POLICY ACTION TEAM IDENTIFIED A HOST OF THINGS WITHIN CURRENT CODE THAT DESPERATELY NEED CHANGING.
AND IT'S UP TO US TO GET A MOVEMENT GOING, ESSENTIALLY AMONG THE PUBLIC TO TELL OUR LEGISLATORS IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION ON THESE THINGS, AND WE'RE READY TO DO SO.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A LONG TERM EFFORT.
CONVINCING THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHARLIE'S UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE IS A HARD THING TO DO, BUT WE'RE READY TO ASSIST ON IT.
AND THESE GUYS ARE SO COMMITTED.
THEIR NEXT MEETING IS MAY 9TH.
UM, WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THANKS FOR BEING PATIENT, BUT I WAS INSPIRED EARLIER BY THE POETRY AND THE ARTS, AND I WANTED TO QUOTE ONE OF OUR DEDICATED WORKING GROUP MEMBERS IN, IN ONE OF THEIR SIGNATURES.
AND IT SAYS, NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY EVER HAS.
AND THAT'S A MARGARET MEAD QUOTE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, DEANNA.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I'M SURE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'LL LET THE COUNSELOR GO FIRST.
ANY, ANY OF THE COUNSELORS WISH TO START? I, I JUST HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION, VICE MAYOR.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND FOR THIS REPORT, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE STRATEGIES, BUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE THOSE STRATEGIES TURN INTO ACTIONS? I'LL TAKE A STAB AT
[02:15:01]
THAT FIRST, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CO-CONVENERS, WHO ARE THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTERS OF THOSE DECISIONS.UM, IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, AS YOU HEARD FROM CRAIG AND NINA, THE WORKING GROUP IS STILL REALLY COMMITTED TO ENGAGING ON THE TOPICS AND BEING OF USE TO THE CO CONVENERS WHENEVER THEY CAN.
AND SO THERE'S STILL PLANS FOR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT FOR THE WORKING GROUP, AND THE CO-CONVENERS ARE WELCOME TO, TO BRING ANY ASK THEY HAVE OF THAT GROUP.
UM, SO THERE'S ONE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF, IN TERMS OF CONTINUED WORKING GROUP ENGAGEMENT, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CO-CONVENERS IF THEY'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
UM, MEMBER MAYOR MEMBERS, UM, AS I MENTIONED, ARIZONA STATE PARKS AND TRAILS, THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED ON OUR SLIDES WE'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN.
UM, I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE FUNDING ACTION TEAM RELATED TO THIS WORKING GROUP AS WELL.
UM, AND SO WE LOOKED AT A WIDE VARIETY OF NOT JUST STATE PARK DOLLARS, BUT FEDERAL FUNDING, MANUFACTURER FUNDING, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER SOURCES THAT COULD BE UTILIZED TO HELP IMPLEMENT ANY NUMBER OF THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THIS DOCUMENT.
SO WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION AND USER BEHAVIOR, WHETHER IT'S ROUTE SYSTEM PLANNING, UM, BUT BASICALLY STATE PARKS IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THIS GROUP TO IDENTIFY WAYS THAT WE CAN, WHETHER WE USE STATE PARKS FUNDING OR OTHER FUNDING POOLS TO HELP BRING FORWARD CHANGE, UM, AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK RELATED TO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION ALONG WITH THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH, LIKE THE APPRECIATE AZ PROGRAM.
SO REALLY WE'RE LOOKING TO THIS WORKING GROUP TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT WHAT IT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING AND WHAT WE'RE ALREADY ENGAGED IN.
SO, YEAH, AS A FOLLOW UP, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU WHETHER ANY OF YOUR GRANT DOLLARS HAVE BEEN USED HERE LOCALLY WITHIN THE GS GSRC AREA, YET YOU HAVE APPLICATIONS ON FILE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, OR WHAT IS THE LOCAL IMPACT FOR US AT THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE? YEAH, SO CURRENTLY SINCE THE, UH, SO IN 2017, WE INITIATED WHAT WE CALL OUR SUPPLEMENTAL OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE GRANT PROGRAM.
PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS TWO COMPETITIVE CYCLES, ONE IN JANUARY, ONE IN JULY.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE TRIED TO DIVERSIFY THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW IT'S SPENT TO EXPEDITE FUNDING.
WITH THAT CAME A LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFIC CATEGORY, ONLY OPEN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES.
THAT'S THE AVA PI, COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, COCONINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE US FOREST SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S FLAGSTAFF OR SEDONA RANGER DISTRICT.
AND SINCE THAT PROGRAM INITIATED, WE'VE AWARDED $2.5 MILLION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY SPECIFIC GRANTS.
9% OF THOSE GRANTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO COCONINO COUNTY, AND 7% HAVE GONE TO YAVAPAI COUNTY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE INTERACTIVE TOOLS ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE HAVE A HISTORY OF ALL OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE AND OUR 13 OR 14 OTHER PROGRAMS AND INTERACTIVE MAP WHERE YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PROJECT AND IDENTIFY THE AMOUNT THAT WAS AWARDED, WHO IT WENT TO, WHAT THE PROJECT WAS FOR.
ON OUR STATE PARKS WEBSITE, WE ALSO HAVE AN ACTIVE GRANT TRACKING SHEET FOR ANY ACTIVE GRANTS THAT SHOWS THE PROGRESS, WHO IT WAS AWARDED TO, WHAT FOR HOW MUCH MATCH AMOUNTS, AND THEN THE TOTAL IMPACT OF THAT PROJECT.
SO A AWESOME THAT THE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT.
DID, UH, FOREST SERVICE FISHER GAME, ANYBODY ELSE APPLY TO YOU AT THIS? THAT'S, THAT'S AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
SO WHETHER I CAN GIVE YOU STATISTICS OH, AT THE CAN AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, I, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, SO YAVAPAI COUNTY, AND IT'S A VARIETY OF ENTITIES WITHIN THAT COUNTY.
AND I CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU THE SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THOSE AGENCIES WERE BY COUNTY IF NEEDED.
BUT IT IS ON OUR WEBSITE CURRENTLY.
CAN I, A CONSULT JUST TO ASK FOR EXPLANATION TO WHAT HE JUST SAID? WE HAVE ALL FOLLOW UPS.
YEAH, I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE FOLLOW UP, UM, SOME OF THE, THE COMMITMENT GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL PUT DOWN AS NEXT STEPS.
SO I'M READING THIS AS THERE'S A COMMITMENT TO SEE THESE THINGS THROUGH.
SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, THE MANDATORY OHV EDUCATION, UM, WHO DEVELOPS THAT AND WHO'S SPENDING THE MONEY TO DEVELOP THAT? WHERE'S THE COMMITMENT TO SEE THIS TURN INTO AN ACTUAL THING THAT HAPPENS? THAT'S WHAT I'M, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF THE MANDATORY EDUCATION, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE WORKING GROUP IS THAT THAT BE, BE DEVELOPED BY ARIZONA GAMENT FISH DEPARTMENT, WHO ALREADY HOSTS A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.
NOW, OF COURSE, THAT CHANGE WILL HAVE TO COME FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND HOW THAT'S IMPLEMENTED WILL BE DETERMINED BY THAT.
SORRY, I THINK JUST TO MAKE COMMENTS ON STRATEGIES IN GENERAL, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE BROAD THEN.
WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT ONE THING.
THIS TAKES CONTINUED DIALOGUE AND YOU KNOW, MELISSA HAS ALREADY OFFERED HER HEAT
[02:20:01]
MAP.WE'RE ALL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
BUT, BUT HERE WE ARE, RIGHT? WE HAVE THESE SET OF STRATEGIES.
SOME ARE REAL EASY TO IMPLEMENT AND TAKE A LITTLE MONEY.
SOME ARE NOT SO EASY TO IMPLEMENT AND TAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
SOME ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND WILL TAKE LONGER.
AND SO THE ONLY THING WE CAN SAY IS THAT WE'RE HERE, WE'RE COMMITTED, WE'RE MEETING ON MAY 9TH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS DIALOGUE AND WE CAN COME BACK AND IT WILL BE OPEN AND WE CAN REPORT BACK ON THOSE THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE TAKE DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL ON WHAT YOU THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT TONIGHT.
CAN I, CAN I LET VICE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, MY TIME BECAUSE I THINK IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED.
UH, THE MAYOR AND I WENT DOWN AND MET WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON THE ISSUE OF OHVS AND MANDATORY EDUCATION WAS ONE OF THEM.
AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR MANDATORY EDUCATION.
ZERO ZIP, ZILCH NOT HAPPENING.
THAT'S, UH, SENATOR KERR TOLD US THAT YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO THAT? THANK YOU.
VICE MAYOR, UH, PETE FIRST AND THAT I WASN'T DONE.
THAT SOME OF THESE, SOME THINGS ARE EASIER THOUGH.
THERE'S A LOW FRUIT, RIGHT? WE ALL WANNA GO FOR WHEN WE CAN.
I GUESS IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT BROKEN DOWN IN THE WAY THAT IF THERE WASN'T, THERE'S GOING TO BE NEEDS FOR THIS GROUP TO KEEP GOING, TO GET SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AREN'T THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FOR THAT.
I GUESS WHAT I WANNA KNOW IS, IS THERE A CHART THAT YOU COULD DO? THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THERE'S SUPPORT, THERE'S NOT A MONETARY INVESTMENT VERSUS, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I, I, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM BROKEN DOWN.
ONE, ONE OF THE SLIDES DID IT, ONE OF YOUR, UM, I THINK IT WAS ALEX DID THAT, BROKE IT DOWN INTO, HERE'S ZERO TO THREE YEARS.
I GUESS, I GUESS I WANT AN UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OF THESE THINGS OF WHERE THEY FALL ON THAT SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW WHAT KIND OF COMMITMENT IS NEEDED FROM EACH GROUP, FROM EACH FINANCIAL PARTICIPANT.
WHAT IS THE REAL CHANCE OF ONGOING COMMITMENT AND, AND SUCCESS FOR EACH OF THEM.
SO I'M, I'M TRYING, I JUST WANT TO TRY AND WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THAT BETTER.
EVERYBODY IN THE GROUP WANTS THAT.
MELISSA WANTS MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
'CAUSE SHE'S VERY PROCESS ORIENTED AND SHE'S GONNA HELP US DO THAT.
UM, BUT THAT IS THE INTENTION.
AND SO, UM, WE CAN BUCKET THEM IN THE WAY THAT WE THINK IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
KIND OF LIKE ALEX HAS STARTED WITHIN A ONE TO THREE MONTHS.
UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHICH THINGS ARE MORE IMPLEMENTABLE AND WHY WE CAN START TO PUT PRICE TAGS ON THINGS.
WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY IS THE INTENTION OF THE NEXT PHASE.
IS THAT SAFE TO SAY? I MEAN, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU ADD? STAY TUNED.
CAST WILLIAMSON AND I, I'M GONNA WEIGH IN.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, I, I WANNA ADDRESS THAT FROM THE WORKING GROUP'S PERSPECTIVE.
THE WORKING GROUP WAS MAKING A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE CAME UP WITH IDEAS, WE CAME UP WITH THEM WITHOUT THE, UH, CO-CONVENERS VOTING ON THEM.
WE DIDN'T LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY, IS THIS ONE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTABLE? NOW OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING OFF THE WALL, WE WOULDN'T HAVE INCLUDED IT, BUT WE DIDN'T MAKE THOSE JUDGEMENTS.
WHAT WE DID IS PROVIDED THE CO-CONVENERS WITH A MENU OF THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NEVER EXPECTING THAT THIS REPORT IS GOING TO COME AND SAY, HERE'S THE ORDER THAT THEY'RE GONNA TAKE PLACE.
HERE'S WHAT THE CO-CONVENERS COMMIT TO DO.
THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE RESULTS OF WHAT WE DID, OUR DOCUMENT, DIGEST IT, ANALYZE IT, COME BACK TO US.
WE HAVE SUGGESTED TIMEFRAMES AND SUGGESTED DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR A NUMBER OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
WELL, THAT WAS OUR GUESS THAT IT SEEMED AS IF THIS PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE A SHORT TERM OR A LONG TERM OR LESS EXPENSIVE OR MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT WE KNEW THEY WEREN'T GOING, THIS DOCUMENT WASN'T GONNA HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHEN THINGS WERE GONNA HAPPEN BY WHOM, HOW THAT ABSOLUTELY IS THE NEXT STEP.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A GOOD DIALOGUE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M USED TO SITTING UP HERE IN THIS PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT, IS WHEN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS COMES TO US AND SAYS WE WANNA WORK ON SOLVING TRAFFIC
[02:25:01]
ISSUES, AND HERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PROPOSALS THAT WE COULD DO.THIS ONE WE THINK WILL GET US A 2% IMPROVEMENT IN TRAFFIC.
THIS ONE WILL GET US A 20% IMPROVEMENT IN TRAFFIC.
I GUESS, UM, I I, YOU KNOW, TO EXACTLY, UM, YOUR POINT, CRAIG, I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR A WAY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH THING GETS.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? WHAT IS THE PRICE TAG FOR IT? WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT TO IT AND TO FUNDING THAT PRICE TAG FROM A CONVENER, NOT, YOU KNOW, AS WELL, BROADER.
SO I, I GUESS I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR INFORMATION LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO FRAME IT.
I THINK COUNCIL DUNN HAS AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
WELL, I HAVE A PROCESS, OKAY, FOR THAT.
THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WHAT FROM WHICH WE HOPE WE WOULD GET ANSWERS.
SO WHEN, UM, IN, IN THE, THE BUSINESS I WAS IN, WE, WE CALL IT HEAT MAPPING.
SO ONCE WE HAVE A MILLION IDEAS AND SOFTWARE, WHAT PEOPLE WANT, UM, WE HAVE TO WEIGH THAT AGAINST OUR ENGINEERING STAFF AND HOW MUCH BENEFIT THE CUSTOMER'S GOING TO GET AND HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO COST US, SKILL LEVELS, ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY, RIGHT? I THINK ALEX CALLS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, LIKE SOMETHING MATRIX, UH, QUADRANT MATRIXES OR SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU BUILD, RIGHT? SO YOU, YOU BUILD A MATRIX THAT SAYS WE COULD GET A LOT OF BENEFIT AROUND OHVS, BUT IT'S GONNA COST US A LOT.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, AND WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS HOW WE CREATE THE COST, RIGHT? SO IF, IF WE WERE DOING THIS AT MICROSOFT OR AMAZON OR ANY OF THOSE PLACES, I KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
HOWEVER, THAT IS SOMETHING YOU NEED FROM THE FOREST SERVICE.
IT'S WHAT I NEED FROM GAME AND FISH.
IT'S WHAT I NEED FROM THE COUNTY.
IT'S WHAT I NEED FROM ARIZONA STATE PARKS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THAT.
SO WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT THE HEAT MAPPING, THAT SHOULD BE OUR NEXT STEP BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE FIGURE OUT ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTION.
HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST? WHO'S GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE US TO DO THIS? AND HOW MUCH BANG FOR THE BUCK BASICALLY, DO WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CREATE IN RELIEVING THE ROOT CAUSES OF, OF THESE, THESE THINGS.
AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THESE GUYS HAVE COME UP WITH THROUGH THE GSRC MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT TACTICS, AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL WE START TO DO THAT KIND OF ANALYSIS.
AND THAT SHOULD BE, I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE,
THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE THE ACTUAL FIRST NEXT STEP.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY, ONCE WE HAVE SOMETHING GOING THERE TO COME BACK AND REPORT WHAT IT IS WE'RE SEEING AND HOW, HOW WE THINK THAT THIS WILL WORK.
SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE MY RESPONSE AS, AS A MEMBER OF THE CO-CONVENERS ON THE GSRC.
HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE? MY QUESTIONS? WELL, AGAIN, I'VE NEVER DONE IT WITH THIS KIND OF GROUP OF PEOPLE BEFORE, AND I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS.
MY LIMITATIONS WERE, BUT NORMALLY WE COULD DO A HEAT MAP AND UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES AND THE LENGTH OF TIME AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, AND THE COST TO THE BUSINESS AND THE COST TO CONSUMERS.
WE COULD KNOW THAT WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW THAT BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT, WHETHER WE HAVE THE RIGHT SKILL SETS, HOW MANY OF THE SKILL SETS WE NEED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, NO CLUE IF THAT HELPS.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 YEARS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T HAVE 10 YEARS, REALLY.
I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR 10 YEARS.
WE GOTTA, THIS HAS STARTED IN 2016, MY QUESTION.
AND WE ARE NO FURTHER ALONG, A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG THAN WE WERE, BUT IN 2016 AND NOW WE'RE STARTING THIS PROCESS ALL OVER.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING.
I'VE BEEN SITTING BACK LISTENING TO THE COUNSELORS SPEAK ABOUT A LOT OF THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
AND THIS TEAM IS IN ITSELF A LOT FURTHER ALONG THAN WE EVER WERE BEFORE DURING THE PRIOR FOREST SUPERVISOR AT LOWER JOE WEST DURING THAT WHOLE ISSUE.
BUT WHEN WE STARTED ON THIS PROCESS, I WAS CRYSTAL, CRYSTAL CLEAR, WE NEED A MEASURABLE PERMIT SYSTEM.
AND FOR ANDY TO SAY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PERMITTING WAS NOT MENTIONED.
THEN ONE OF, I THINK ONE OF THE TWO OF YOU DID.
YOU ARE CORRECT AND WE CAN DIVE DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE.
NO, ACTUALLY, I, I SAID THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE COCONINO FOREST.
WHEN HE LISTED HIS ITEMS, ONE OF THE, NOTHING SHOWED UP IN EITHER ZERO TO THREE OR TWO TO FIVE.
OKAY? BUT THAT WAS THIS COUNCIL, THIS BODY, THIS CITY, THE RESIDENTS WERE LOOKING
[02:30:01]
FOR A PERMITTING NUMBER, NOT A PERMIT OF OPEN SEASON, A MEASURABLE NUMBER.UH, AARON, UH, THE NEW FOREST SUPERVISOR HAD A, AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THE FORMER CITY MANAGER WHERE HE WAS VERY CLEAR THAT SAID HE NEEDED A NUMBER FROM THE ORGANIZATION, FROM A, A COMMUNITY GROUP, LOCAL GROUP, CITIZENS GROUP, THAT THE FOREST SERVICE WAS NOT GONNA COME UP WITH A NUMBER.
THAT IT HAD TO COME FROM A, AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS COMBINING ALL THESE MINES.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET A PERMIT SYSTEM, UNMEASURED PERMIT SYSTEM.
AND YET IT WAS MENTIONED BY WHOEVER PERMITTING WAS NOT, IT WAS OFF THE TABLE MENTIONED OR IT'S OFF THE TABLE.
SO I SEE SO MUCH DATA, SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE.
YOU REALLY ARE FOCUSED ON MANY DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND FUNDING.
BUT THIS CITY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IS LOOKING FOR A PERMITTING SYSTEM.
AND I THINK THESE TWO PEOPLE, I KNOW THAT ONE IS LINED UP TO DIVE INTO THE PERMITTING THING.
I WOULD NOT SAY PERMITTING IS, IS OFF THE TABLE.
AND I KNOW THAT ALEX WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
SO PLEASE GIVE HIM THE TIME TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
I, I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER'S GONNA BE.
ALEX GONNA LET HIM SPEAK 'CAUSE WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT, BUT NINA'S UP FIRST.
AND NINA AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME AGO.
AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS KIND OF SOME OF THE OVERALL FRUSTRATIONS.
OF COURSE YOU'RE HEARING, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE WITH YOU ALL THESE YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE
AND THEN THERE ARE THINGS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PERMITTING SYSTEM THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT MORE EXPLORING AND, AND JUST THE WORD PERMIT, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, ERIN CAN GO INTO THIS MORE.
UM, BUT JUST THE WORD PERMIT IS REALLY BIG.
I MEAN, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT REQUIRING A PERMIT FOR PUBLIC ACCESS? ARE YOU REQUIRING A PERMIT FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL OPERATORS AND THEREFORE, UH, DEFINING, YOU KNOW, RENTAL COMPANIES AS, AS COMMERCIAL OUTFITTER GUIDES? YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN FOR, TO PERMIT.
BUT PERMITTING WAS OVERWHELMINGLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY EVEN FROM THE RENTAL COMPANIES WAS, UH, DISCUSSED AND IS ACTUALLY A, A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF, UM, OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
EXCUSE ME, THE PROPOSING STRATEGIES.
SO
UM, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I HEAR THE FRUSTRATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT, BUT THE, THE THINGS THAT, UM, ARE, HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.
UM, ARE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST SITTING AROUND THAT AND TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF.
YOU THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE HEARING FRUSTRATION.
LET ME SHARE FRUSTRATION WITH YOU THAT IN YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM THIS GROUP, TURN THE PAGE ITEM TWO, IS IT GUARANTEED THAT A LIMITED PERMIT SYSTEM WILL BE PUT INTO PLACE FOR OHV USE IN THE GREATER SEDONA AREA? LIKE THE ONE IN SOLDIER PASS, RIGHT? THE ANSWER IS NO.
A LIMITED USE PERMIT SYSTEM IS HEAVY HANDED MANAGEMENT APPROACH.
UH, AND BURDENSOME TO, TO BOTH THE, THE VISITOR AND THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCY.
WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN PUTTING UP WITH THE SAME ANSWER, LOOKING FOR THE SAME ANSWER, BUT NOW IT'S BURDENSOME TO THE AGENCY.
AND THE VISITOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT I, AND I'M READING ALMOST THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, THE WHOLE BOOK.
IT'S A NICE BOOK,
AND NINA, WE'RE FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU AND MARY, UH, YOU DO A LOT FOR THIS, THIS CITY.
YOU'RE NOT HELPING WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO I'M GONNA LET COUNCILLOR WILLIAMSON JUMP IN 'CAUSE I KNOW SHE HAS A QUESTION.
MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH, I'M REALLY DISTURBED WHEN I HEAR THIS, JUST ME, THAT SOMETHING'S LIKELY TO GO ON FOREVER.
AND I, I, THAT MEANS THAT WE SOMEHOW ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS FOREVER.
[02:35:01]
FOR IT? AND WHAT I DON'T SEE IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR IT, WHEN REALLY WHAT WE WANT.AH, AND IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE PERMITS, MAYBE WE, I MEAN MAYBE WE DON'T NEED THE PROCESS.
I'M, I I FIND THIS
AND IT'S ALWAYS ACCUSED OF BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF SELF PERPETRATING KIND OF THING.
AND SO I'M NOT, I'M REALLY NOT.
I'M NOT ATTACKING WORK THAT PEOPLE DID.
I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME HAS BEEN IN THERE.
I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH OF THESE AGENCIES AS EACH OF THESE AGENCIES, AND WE CAN'T MAKE ANYBODY DO ANYTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA BE THROUGH SOME KIND OF COOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR.
BUT, BUT THOSE, THOSE THINGS REALLY BOTHER ME.
I MEAN, AND WE'RE NOT TALKING 10 YEARS, WE ARE TALKING 20 YEARS, YOU KNOW, OR FOREVER I GUESS IS, UH, IN THE PARLANCE OF, AND THERE IS A, THERE IS REALLY A POINT AT WHICH CHURNING OUT DATA AND INFORMATION ISN'T ALWAYS SOLVING A PROBLEM,
AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT HERE.
UM, WE MEAN THERE'S NO END TO THE AMOUNT OF LIKE SPEED LIMITS, YOU KNOW? OKAY, FINE.
BUT THE COMMUNITY, THE LABOR'S OBSERVER ARE TOTALLY DIVIDED, TOTALLY DIVIDED ON SPEED.
SO SHOULD WE WASTE ANY TIME REALLY DOING THAT? IT'S A SUGGESTION.
UM, AND IT'S, IT GOES BACK TO, TO, TO WHAT COUNCILOR DUNN SAID, IT'S A SUGGESTION THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A HUGE AMOUNT OF, OF STAFF TIME OR SOMEBODY'S TIME WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TOWARD WHAT END.
UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE EXPERTS THAT HAVE ALREADY OPINED THAT 25 IS FINE.
I MEAN, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I AM, UH, I'M KIND OF, I'M, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT I AM, I'M NOT SEEING THE RESULTS OF THIS.
I, I WAS REALLY HOPING, UM, AND, AND MY CALL, I THINK MY COLLEAGUE KATHY KINSELLA WAS, WAS PROBABLY MUCH NICER THAN I WAS ABOUT THAT SAYING SHE WOULD'VE LIKED, I, I EXPECTED TO SEE PRIORITIES, I EXPECTED TO SEE THINGS LAID OUT, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE YEARS.
SO I'M SORRY YOU ARE LOOKING THROUGH QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY, HONOR, YOU'RE ON A GOOD RUN.
SO I'M SORRY, I, I, I APOLOGIZE.
CAN WE RUN THROUGH QUESTIONS? THE YES, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND THEN GET TO DISCUSSION PLEASE.
I'M SORRY, I DID GET OFF OFF TRACK'S.
PERMITS OR NO, CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT IN REGARDS TO, SO OH, PERMITTING.
SIMILAR, SIMILAR TO, TO, SO YOU BROUGHT PERMITS UP.
AND AS WE'VE CONTINUALLY SAID, THAT IS A PRETTY MUCH LAST CASE RESORT FOR THE FOREST SERVICE.
THAT IS THE MOST STRINGENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH WE AT CAN CHOOSE FROM, RIGHT? SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY LIGHTER HANDED APPROACHES FIRST.
SO A COUPLE OF THOSE JUST TO GIVE SPECIFICS AS TO RESULTS FROM THIS, THIS PROJECT, THIS, UH, EFFORT.
SO A COUPLE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT 1 52 C ROAD REALIGNMENT, UM, THAT'S PART OF THIS MOMENTUM THAT'S BEEN BUILT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, I FORESEE MOVING FORWARD.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT BROKEN ARROW.
SO THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS A ROLLING BASIS.
AND MATT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON ANY OF THIS INFORMATION, BUT MY HOPE IS TO WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS TO GET AN APPLICATION IN.
AND THEN THAT GETS CONSIDERED THIS SUMMER.
I BELIEVE IT GETS ANNOUNCED IN LATE JULY.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S ANNOUNCED, THERE'S A TWO YEAR DEADLINE TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
AFTER THAT IT'S, IT, THE STATE DOES NOT REIMBURSE AFTER THE TWO YEARS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S AN ACTUAL DEADLINE THAT THE PROJECT HAS TO BE DONE.
I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO POTENTIALLY SPEED THAT UP.
FOR EXAMPLE, I HOPE, I PRAY THAT THE CITY'S CONTRACTING PROCESSES ARE FASTER THAN A FOREST SERVICES.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN GET THAT KIND OF SUPPORT AND IF THAT GRANT SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN MY MIND RELATIVELY QUICKLY COMPARED TO SOME OF THESE TIMELINES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND ONE LAST THING ABOUT OUR, OUR STAFF AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH VOLUNTEERS, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL PART OF THE SAME MOMENTUM.
I JUST GOT HANDED TODAY, THE REPORT FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE WINTER SEASON.
THIS IS JUST THIS PAST SEASON.
[02:40:01]
AND THEY INSTALLED OVER 3,600, UH, FEET OF FENCING, UH, 40 JUNCTION SIGNS INSTALLED TO IMPROVE WAY FINDING SO PEOPLE DON'T ACCIDENTALLY GET OFF TRAIL.UM, 12 VOLUNTEER EVENTS WITH OVER 300 HOURS.
THAT IS SIGNIFICANT IN MY MIND.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU, I CAN, I CAN UH, SEND YOU THE DIGITAL COPY LATER TONIGHT.
BUT ONE THING, ALEX, WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU SAID YOU APPLIED AND YOU WERE GONNA MEET WITH CITY STAFF? THAT'S FOR US TO DO THE WORK IN THE FOREST SERVICE ON BROKEN ARROW.
I DON'T FORESEE THE FOREST SERVICE BEING ABLE TO COVER THAT MUCH.
I GET THAT IN THE, UH, BUT YOU REALLY EXPECT US TO, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE SARCASTIC, YOU EXPECT US TO PAY, THAT'S THE QUESTION.
750,000, MAYBE 700,000, YOU'RE GONNA PAY THE 50, JUST A GUESS, RIGHT? BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR PARTNERSHIP IS A PARTNERSHIP.
I JUST DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE OVERBURDENED.
BUT TO ME, BROKEN ARROW IS THE LONGEST RUNNING PROBLEM IN THIS CITY.
NOT TO MENTION JUST BEING OVER IN, UH, OVERRUN WITH OHVS IN GENERAL, BUT BROKEN ARROW IS THE LONGEST RUNNING PROBLEM.
ASIDE FROM WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN 5, 2 5, WHICH IS ONLY A COUPLE YEARS, FIVE YEARS I BELIEVE BROKEN OUT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS.
AND NOW WITH THE PRICE TAG OF $700,000, I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW YOU'VE MET WITH THE FORMER CITY MANAGER.
I I I'M SURE WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER, BUT WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT CAN GO? MM-HMM,
IT COULD BE 900,000 OR A MILLION.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, RIGHT? SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU CAME AND SAID, WE THINK WE CAN KICK IN A QUARTER, A THIRD, BUT THIS HAS TO END.
AND I'M NOT REALLY HEARING ANYTHING.
AND THE THINGS THAT WE STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS WITH QUESTION ISN'T A ISN'T A FACTUAL THAT WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, IT WAS TO ADDRESS BROKEN ARROW AND THE VOLUME.
AND WHEN WE HAD THIS MEETING 18 MONTHS AGO AND IT ALL STARTED AND THE GSRC WASN'T ANYWHERE NEAR AS IMPACTFUL AS IT IS NOW.
AND WELL ORGANIZED AS IT IS NOW.
WE WERE PROMISED WE'LL GET THERE.
THIS IS A NEW PRO, UH, NEW PROGRESS.
WE WERE TOLD LAURA JOE WEST, THAT PROCESS DIDN'T WORK.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT DIDN'T WORK.
THERE'S NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD A DATA WITHOUT A DOUBT.
WE STARTED AGAIN IN GOOD CONSCIENCE.
I DON'T SEE, DO YOU TO GET, GO FOR A QUESTION, BRIAN, DO YOU SEE ANY US ANY FURTHER ALONG THAN WE WERE BACK THAT PERIOD OF TIME? YES, ACTUALLY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS IF WE COULD GET ONTO THAT.
I'M GONNA LET YOU GET ONTO THAT.
BUT, SO WE WILL TALK ABOUT FRUSTRATIONS LATER.
I HAVE A FOLLOW UP WITH ALEX WHILE HE'S AT THE PODIUM.
RYAN'S BEEN THE SOUL OF PATIENCE.
I'M SORRY BUT THIS HAS BEEN LONG ENOUGH.
UH, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU WORKING GROUP.
SDR YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK.
I WILL HAVE COMMENTS WHEN WE GET TO COMMENTS LATER.
QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW ARE, CAN SOMEBODY DESCRIBE WHAT THE MODEL FOR ENFORCEMENT LOOKS LIKE OUT THERE? BECAUSE THERE IS GAME AND FISH, THERE'S JAVA, YAVAPAI COUNTY, THERE'S AMBASSADORS.
I HAVE NO CONCEIVED IDEA OF WHAT ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN A PRACTICAL WAY.
I'LL PUT IT INTO CONTEXT THAT WOULD HELP ME IF SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT IT.
IN THE CITY OF SEDONA WHERE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THREE BEATS AND SO THERE'S A PATROL OFFICER IN EACH OF THOSE THREE BEATS AT ANY GIVEN TIME, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING COMMUNITY SERVICE.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE IN
[02:45:01]
THE FOREST? SO I CAN ANSWER FROM THE FOREST SERVICE PERSPECTIVE.'CAUSE ENFORCEMENT IS DEFINITELY A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
SO FOREST SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE GOT TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON THE RED ROCK RAIDER DISTRICT COVERING 550,000 ACRES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE WHAT ARE CALLED FOREST PROTECTION OFFICERS.
THAT'S A MUCH A SMALL GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF TRAINING TO DO SOME ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE NOT ARMED AND NOTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY CAN WRITE A CITATION FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.
THEY HAVE TO TYPICALLY HAVE TO SEE THAT ACTIVITY OCCUR.
THEY CAN'T JUST INFER FROM EVIDENCE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT HAS TO BE PRETTY DIRECT AND THEY HAVE TO BE OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY SMALL CONTINGENT AS WELL.
PROBABLY LESS THAN 10 FOLKS ON OUR DISTRICT.
I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAIN HOW MANY FPOS WE HAVE FORCE PROTECTION OFFICERS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE PERSON WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE THAT, UH, OHV COORDINATOR, THEY WOULD LIKELY BECOME A FORCE PROTECTION OFFICER SO THAT IF THEY'RE OUT THERE AND THEY SEE SOMEBODY GET OFF TRAIL AND CAUSE RESOURCE DAMAGE, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO WRITE A CITATION.
THE HOPE IS THAT WITH ENFORCEMENT SHARED BETWEEN MULTIPLE AGENCIES, THAT YOU ESTABLISH A CULTURE OF IF WE ACTUALLY, IF WE DO SOMETHING RECKLESS OR SOMETHING REALLY AWFUL, THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, A SIGNIFICANT CHANCE OF GETTING CAUGHT.
THAT'S PRETTY HARD WITH THE LIMITED FORCES WE HAVE.
BUT THE HOPE IS THAT THE, THAT IN COMBINATION WITH EDUCATION CAN, CAN MAKE SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
IT'S SHARED, IT'S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
THE FORCE HAS SOME, WE STATUTORILY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OHP ENFORCEMENT SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN STATE STATUTE.
AND IF THIS OTHER ONE, THIS OTHER POTENTIAL BILL PASSES, THEN THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL BE, WILL BE STATUTORY RESPONSIBLE AS WELL.
SO NOT ONLY DOES THE FORCE DO IT OUT OF OBLIGATION TO THE FORCE, THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PLAYS A BIG PART IN THAT AS WELL.
THEY DON'T GET ANY OHP FUNDING CURRENTLY FROM THAT, FROM THE $25 DECAL THAT COMES TO US FOR ENFORCEMENT AND STATE PARKS.
STATE PARKS DOESN'T HAVE ANY STATE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY THROW THAT MONEY BACK TO THE GAME OF FISH DEPARTMENT OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WHAT'S IT LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND? I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF YOUR QUESTION.
MM-HMM
WE JUST GOT HIM, UH, HERE FOR THIS AREA.
SO I'M LOOKING, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, BUT NOT ONLY DO WE JUST HAVE THE SEVEN, THE REST OF OUR 75 FIELD OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE ALSO HAVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND WHEN THEY SEE IT, UM, THEY GO, THEY ENFORCE THOSE STATE LAWS.
AND, UM, WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THE SEVEN OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED, THEY TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE AND THEY GO, UM, SEDONA, WE'VE DONE ALMOST TWO, WHAT WE CALL SATURATION PATROLS IN THE SEDONA AREA IN THE SPRING.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S WHEN IT'S HEAVILY VISITED BY OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES.
SO THEY TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE AND DO THESE SET, UM, PROVIDE A LOT OF RESOURCES.
SEVEN OFFICERS, THEY ALL BRING THEIR OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES.
A LOT OF TIMES WE PUT, A LOT OF TIMES WE PUT OUR AIRPLANE UP IN THE SKY AS WELL SO WE CAN SEE, UM, PARTICULARLY THOSE VIOLATIONS OF PEOPLE GOING CROSS COUNTRY.
SO, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE GAME OF FISH DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITY.
WE ALSO PUT ON A STATEWIDE, UM, OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, TRAINING PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S THREE OR FOUR DAYS LONG FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OTHER CITY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ATTEND.
SO THEY, SO THEY'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
DID THAT, DID THAT HELP COUNSELOR? IT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
SO YOU, YOU BOTH HAVE SAID SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, HOW ABOUT SHARED COORDINATION? SO DO YOU ALL ACTUALLY PLAN WHERE YOUR OFFICERS WILL BE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE DO, WE WORK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, NOT SO MUCH THE FORCE PROTECTION OFFICERS THAT ALEX MENTIONED, BUT WE DO WORK WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEPENDING ON WHAT COUNTY IT'S IN.
UM, SO WE, YEAH, WHENEVER WE DO HAVE ONE OF THESE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE SATURATION PATROLS, THAT'S PART OF IT.
IT'S A SHARED, SHARED RESOURCE EVENT.
AND, UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER POINT I WAS GONNA MAKE, BUT I DIDN'T, DIDN'T QUITE, OKAY, SO LET ME PUT IT IN MORE PRACTICAL TERMS. SO LET'S SAY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY GOES BLASTING THROUGH THE FENCING AT THE OLD DONUT HOLE AND STARTS RUNNING DONUTS AGAIN.
HOW, HOW OFTEN IS THERE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE ON THE DIAMONDBACK GULCH OHV TRAIL TO ACTUALLY CATCH AN OFFENDER MISBEHAVING? THAT'S A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION.
I COULD, I I DON'T, I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
BUT WHEN 'CAUSE BE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S A PROBLEM AREA WHEN OUR OFFICERS IN THAT AREA, WE ALL KNOW THAT'S A PROBLEM AREA.
SO, OKAY, THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANSWER.
RIGHT, BECAUSE I GET THE FEELING THAT MEANS THAT MY CHANCES OF GETTING BUSTED ARE SLIM TO NONE, UH, FOR ANY KIND OF MISBEHAVIOR ANYWHERE IN THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER VIOLATION IN THE FOREST.
[02:50:01]
NOT SATISFYING.UM, WHAT ABOUT AMBASSADORS? SO, UH, ALEX I THINK YOU JUST MENTIONED, I THINK IT WAS YOU ALEX, THAT MENTIONED 300 VOLUNTEER HOURS THERE HAD JUST BEEN ON ON AMBASSADOR ACTIVITY.
WHO ARE THE AMBASSADORS? WHERE ARE THEY, WHAT ROLE DO THEY PLAY? ARE THEY OUT ON SCH NIBLEY HILL ROAD? ARE THEY OUT ON MORGAN ROAD? ARE THEY OUT ON 1 52 C? WHERE ARE THEY AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING AND, AND HOW, PUT THAT IN PRACTICAL TERMS OF HOW OFTEN DO THEY HAVE A PRESENCE THAT'S GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ENCOURAGING BETTER BEHAVIOR FROM USERS? THIS IS ONE I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITH A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICS 'CAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE DUG INTO IN THE SIX WEEKS I'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION.
BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE EVENTS, AMBASSADOR EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TREAD LIGHTLY.
MM-HMM
THEY'VE GOT THIS HUGE TENT THAT'S VERY COLORFUL AND THEY TRY TO FLAG FOLKS DOWN AS THEY'RE ENTERING.
FOR EXAMPLE, DIAMONDBACK GULCH JUST UP UP THE TRAIL FROM THE DONUT AREA WE JUST MENTIONED AND AND EDUCATE THEM AND TALK ABOUT, HEY, WHAT'S APPROPRIATE BEHA BEHAVIOR OUT HERE? HAVE YOU, IS THIS YOUR OHV? HAVE YOU USED AN OHV BEFORE? BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FIRST TIME USERS AND FOLKS HAVE BEEN PRETTY RECEPTIVE TO THAT.
SO THOSE VOLUNTEER HOURS I WAS TALKING ABOUT ARE MOSTLY FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS, NOT THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
I THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF OUR OTHER CO-CONVENERS HAVE MORE INFO ON THAT ROCK.
YEAH, ROCK HAS BEEN PART OF THAT.
SO NINA, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE TO ADD, BUT UM, I CAN FOLLOW UP AND AND GET MORE INFORMATION AS TO HOW MANY EVENTS WE'VE HAD AND WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT CONFLICT BETWEEN DIFFERENT USERS OF THE FOREST IN PARTICULAR HIKERS AND BIKERS, UM, I GUESS EQUESTRIAN AS WELL, UH, VERSUS OHVS, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THIS IS TO ANYBODY? HA HAVE YOU LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN WE REDUCE SOME OF THAT CONFLICT? SO AS A FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I THINK ABOUT CHICKEN POINT, OKAY.
WHETHER I HIKE OUT THERE, WHETHER I BIKE OUT THERE, I MAY RUN INTO ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO A DOZEN OR MORE OHVS AND JEEPS AND THEY'RE LITERALLY DRIVING RIGHT UP TO CHICKEN POINT.
LIKE TO ME THAT'S A CONFLICT OF USE AT THAT POINT.
SO DID YOU ALL LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THOSE TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE SHOULD HAVE THE VEHICLES STOP A QUARTER MILE BACK FROM SUCH A SIGNIFICANT SCENIC VISTA AS THAT AND HAVE PEOPLE WALK THAT LAST QUARTER MILE AS A FOR INSTANCE.
DO YOU WANT ANYBODY THAT EVER COME UP? HAS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DISCUSSED.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CONSIDER ALL THE TIME.
I THINK ABOUT RED ROCK LOOP ROAD, WE'VE GOT, UH, AN AREA WHERE WE HAD VEHICLES GET OFF THE ROAD TO THIS OVERLOOK AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
NOW YOU CAN SEE THERE'S BOULDERS THERE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND FOLKS CAN ONLY WALK UP THERE.
I HAVE NO IDEA IF THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION.
I CAN ADD TO THAT JUST TO SAY THAT THESE ARE KIND OF THE SPECIFIC DETAILS THAT WE, WE INTEND TO GET TO THROUGH MOTORIZED SYSTEM PLANNING IN THE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM.
AND THERE, THERE WILL BE CONTINUED HOPEFULLY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE WORKING GROUP ON THOSE TYPES OF DETAILS.
HOW CAN THIS COUNCIL HELP BRING FURTHER URGENCY TO ANY OF THE COVE ORGANIZATIONS? 'CAUSE WE'D LOVE TO HAVE AARON IN HERE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A COUNTY SUPERVISOR IN HERE.
WE, I MEAN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW THIS COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT THE SITUATION, RIGHT? AND YOU'VE ALREADY CAUGHT A LEVEL OF DISSATISFACTION, RIGHT? I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR LATER, BUT WHAT CAN THIS COUNCIL DO TO HELP YOU, HELP ALL OF US MAKE PROGRESS MORE QUICKLY? WHAT CAN WE DO HELP CONTINUE THE, FROM THE FOREST SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, HELP CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM? SO IT'S, IT'S, AS I'VE DESCRIBED, WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH HIRING.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH OUR CONTRACTING PROCESSES.
IT'S FINDING PARTNERS THAT CAN, WHO DON'T HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES OR AT LEAST THOSE CHALLENGES ARE MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE AND WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES TOGETHER.
THE FOREST SERVICE CAN ADDRESS EVERY ONE OF THESE ISSUES IN TIME, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
WE HAVE NOWHERE NEAR THE CAPACITY AND EVERY PROJECT WE DO TAKE ON, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE TRADE-OFFS.
WHAT ELSE IS COMING OFF THE PLATO WORK? I HOPE TO TALK TO YOU ALL MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT ENTIRE PLATE OF WORK LOOKS LIKE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GETTING IT TONIGHT, BUT, UH, IN THE COMING MONTHS, GET TO KNOW YOU ALL BETTER AND, AND DISCUSS THAT.
SO IT'S JUST SUPPORTING THAT MOMENTUM, FIGURING OUT WHERE GAPS ARE WITH ANY OF THE PARTNERS SUPPORTING THAT MOMENTUM AND TRY TO TRY TO FILL THAT IN.
UM, AARON IS WELCOME IS HE'S HAPPY TO COME AT ANY TIME, SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO INVITE HIM, I HAVE NO DOUBT HE WOULD LOVE TO JOIN.
OH, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE HIM HERE.
[02:55:01]
OKAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO COMMENTS? OTHER THAN MY COMMENTS? VICE MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CHARLIE.
I, I LOOKED UP THIS BILL THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT 1176 AND IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO KNOW SINCE THEY DO STRIKERS WHAT THE BILL ACTUALLY IS.
BUT WHAT I FIND IS A $250,000 TO THE TRAIL FUND, IS THAT THE SAME THING? I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF THE, THE DECAL REVENUE.
I I I, I WATCHED THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS BEYOND MY PURVIEW
THERE'S A NUMBER OF EXISTING STATUTES THAT ARE NOT ENFORCEABLE.
SO WE CAN'T, AN OFFICER CAN'T WRITE A TICKET FOR A CHILD IN AN OHV BECAUSE THE COURTS WON'T ENFORCE IT BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE STATUTE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS RIGHT NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORK THAT THIS TEAM DID TO REFINE THE LANGUAGE SO THE OFFICERS CAN ACTUALLY WRITE CITATIONS FOR BAD BEHAVIORS.
AND, AND THAT'S PART, THAT'S, THAT'S A REAL ISSUE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE MAKING UP.
ALL, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TALK TO THE OFFICERS AND GO, YEAH, I WROTE THIS ONE BUT I WENT TO COURT AND THE JUDGE THREW IT OUT.
WHAT'S THE NEXT OFFICER GONNA DO? HE'S NOT GONNA WRITE THE CITATION.
SO THERE'S A, THERE ARE A LOT OF, WE HAVEN'T DONE WHAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR MAYOR, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS HAD AN AMAZING GROUP OF YOUR CITIZENS PUT TOGETHER A REPORT YEAH.
THAT SAYS HERE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO.
NOW IT'S UP TO THIS GROUP TO REALLY RESPOND BACK TO THAT LIST.
AND IT WAS DONE WELL UP UNTIL IT HAS TO GO TO THEM.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHO I WANNA DIRECT THE FIRST QUESTION TOO, AND MAYBE TIM I'LL CALL YOU UP, UH, TO THE PODIUM.
YOU TALKED TO, UH, UH, TIM, YOU WERE THE ONE THAT SAID IT WAS GAME AND FISH THAT ENFORCES OHV SPEED AS AS OUR OHG RULES.
SO MAYBE IT'S ALEX
SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE THE FOREST SERVICE.
IT IS THE FOREST SERVICE ALONG FOREST ROADS AND WE SET THE SPEED ON THE CITY LIMIT GOING INTO BROKEN ARROW.
BUT YOU THEN HAVE THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE REST OF BROKEN ARROW Y YEAH.
WHEN IT GETS TO FOREST SERVICE BOUNDARY.
AND THEN ENFORCEMENT, THAT SPEED LIMIT THEN IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
OKAY, SO THE QUESTION I WANNA ASK, AND ANDY YOU'LL HAVE A SHARE IN THIS TOO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONSENSUS SYSTEM THAT YOU BUILT AND THAT'S ALL GREAT AND WONDERFUL.
WE ALL TRY TO ACHIEVE CONSENSUS, BUT THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD WITH MAJORITY OF VOTES
AND SO I NOTICED RELATIVE TO SPEED 19 MEMBERS SAY 15 MILES AN HOUR AND FOUR GO 25 MILES AN HOUR.
WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE FOR YOU, ALEX? WHAT IN, IN TERMS OF YOUR THINKING NOW IN YOUR NATIONAL FOREST? IN, IN, IN THE FOREST SERVICE SEGMENT AND THE SPEED LIMITS, IT'S THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, A MAJORITY, A VAST MAJORITY, 80% OF THE, OF THE VOTES ON THE, ON THE COMMITTEE WERE SAYING SAYING LOOK AT US SLOWER SPEED 15 MILES AN HOUR.
SO WE WOULD NEED DATA TO SUPPORT SETTING A SPEED THAT IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THAT 25 MILES AN HOUR IS, IS TOO FAST.
SO FAR SPEED STUDIES HAVE NOT PROVIDED DATA THAT SUPPORTED THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WAS LOOKING AT ANOTHER SPEED STUDY, LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE SOME, SOME SHORTFALLS THAT WERE PERCEIVED THAT WE COULD ADDRESS.
SO THAT WOULD BE STEP ONE FOR US TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE SPEED.
UM, OBVIOUSLY ON CITY STREETS THAT WOULD BE LESS RELEVANT FOR US.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S AREAS LIKE BROKEN ARROW FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ONCE IT GETS TO NATIONAL FORCE THAT SPEED IS LIKELY THE ISSUE.
THE THE TRAIL ITSELF IS ROUGH ENOUGH THAT I'D, I'D BE IMPRESSED HONESTLY IF SOMEBODY WAS ABLE TO GO THAT FAST
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE IN THAT LOCATION SPECIFICALLY.
I'M REALLY THINKING MORE ABOUT WEST SEDONA.
SO I HEARD YOU SAY SPEED STUDY AND YOU'VE DONE THEM IN THE PAST, HASN'T REALLY SHOWN IS THE SPEED STUDY ONLY ABOUT SAFETY.
BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS ISSUE, AND I SAID 18
[03:00:01]
MONTHS AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT SPEED IS THE THING THAT CAN HAVE THE MOST IMPACT HERE.SPEED IS NOT ONLY SAFETY, IT'S DUST, IT'S DAMAGE, IT'S NOISE, RIGHT? IT'S ALL OF THE THINGS.
AND SO WHEN YOU DO A SPEED STUDY, IS IT ONLY LOOKING AT SAFETY OR YOU KNOW, ARE YOU MOTIVATED TO LOOK AT THE OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO SPEED AS WELL WHEN YOU SET SPEEDS FOR MOST ISSUES? WE LOOK AT A DIVERSITY OF ASPECTS, YOU KNOW, TO ALL OF THE IMPACTS.
I WILL HAVE TO RE-LOOK AT THIS AND, AND FOLLOW UP AND LET YOU KNOW THE EXACT POLICY, BUT I BELIEVE ALL OF OUR SPEED LIMITS HAVE TO BE BASED ON SAFETY.
SO I WILL DOUBLE CHECK AND GET BACK TO YOU.
SO WE GOT A FEDERAL LEGISLATION LOBBYIST EFFORT TO ALLOW US TO DO MORE THINGS RELATIVE TO SPEED.
IF, IF THAT'S THE TRUTH, ALEX, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, SO SPEED, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PERMIT SYSTEM.
THE, THIS USE SYSTEM PLANNING EFFORT REALLY IS THE NEXT EFFORT THERE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY OF THE, THE FACT THAT IT WAS A 22 TO ONE VOTE
TO ME THAT SPEAKS, UH, SPEAKS VOLUMES.
WE TALKED ABOUT, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK I GET THAT AS WELL.
SO NOW THESE MINOR QUESTIONS I HAVE, BUT IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, IN THE, UH, REPORT, IT'S THE REPORT, PAGE 55, IT'S OUR PACKET.
PAGE 2 0 8 MENTIONS THE CITY FUNDED KIMLEY HORN REPORT AND IT'S FOOTNOTE 49 WAS A REFERENCE TO THAT CITY FUNDED REPORT.
AND THE, THE DOCUMENT WE GOT IN OUR PACKET, UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T, WASN'T LINKABLE MARK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A ONLINE IT'S, IT, IT, IT, IT'S LINKABLE, BUT IN OUR PACKET IT WASN'T LINKABLE.
UH, SO I WASN'T ABLE UNTIL TONIGHT CLICK ON THE LINK.
'CAUSE I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND I CLICKED ON THAT LINK AND WE HAD A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS REPORT AND THE FLAWS THAT WERE IN IT AND WE'D ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO LABEL THAT REPORT IF ANYONE GOT IT WITH OUR CONCERNS WITH IT.
YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT REPORT ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT TITLE PAGE ON IT.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU REWORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND GET WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT DOCUMENT THAT CLAIMS, THAT POINTS OUT THE LIMITATIONS OF THAT STUDY.
AND THEN I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN MAKE, UH, YOUR DOCUMENT SEARCHABLE.
NOW, I NOTICED NOT ONLY DID THE LINKS NOT WORK IN OUR COPY IN THE PACKET, BUT I COULDN'T SEARCH ON IT.
AND I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND I COULDN'T SEARCH ON IT EITHER.
SO I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT CYCLING AT ALL AND THE CROWDING OUT ASPECTS OF OHVS VERSUS OTHER USES.
AND I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF, WHEN I READ THE REPORT, I DID SEE ONE MENTION I THINK IN APPENDIX.
SO I KNOW THAT THE, THE CONCEPT IS OUT THERE, BUT THE DOCUMENT ITSELF WASN'T SEARCHABLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR A DOCUMENT LIKE THIS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE WHOLE IDEA OF, OF CHANGING THE SPEEDS.
UM, DO YOU, WHAT'S THE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO A CHANGING OF SPEED, UM, DECISION BY, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY ITSELF IS SPLIT ON CHANGING THE SPEED WHILE THE COMMITTEE ITSELF WAS SPLIT AND THE COMMUNITY IS SPLIT.
SO HOW, WHAT ROLE THOUGH, DO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY'S VIEWS, UH, PLAY IN, IN YOUR CHANGING A SPEED LIMIT FOR SAFETY
IN ADDITION TO THAT, LIKE I MENTIONED, I KNOW THAT FOLKS HAVE CONCERNS, JUST LIKE THE STUDY THAT, THAT COUNCILOR FURMAN JUST MENTIONED, LIMITATIONS ABOUT THE SPEED STUDY THAT'S DONE IN THE PAST.
SO I WOULD SAY THERE'S, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO BE INVOLVED IN ADDRESSING THOSE LIMITATIONS AS WE DESIGN THAT STUDY AND, AND BE PART OF IT THAT WAY.
I, THIS WAS, WOULD NOT BE A PUBLIC PROCESS TO DO.
SO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR SAME COMMUNITY WHO DON'T WANT THE SPEED CHANGED, WOULD NOT BE CONSULTED? I, I WOULD SAY THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GROUP OF OHV, THE WORKING GROUP TO, I'M SAYING OTHER THAN THE WORKING GROUP.
THE WORKING GROUP WANTS THE SPEED REDUCED.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR SAME COMMUNITY DON'T WANT THE SPEED REDUCED.
[03:05:01]
SO ONLY THE WORKING GROUP WOULD'VE INPUT INTO THE SPEED STUDY.SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION?
YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE, UH, IT'S NOT A BIG COMMUNITY WHERE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED WANT THE SPEED LIMIT REDUCED.
THERE ARE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SELF SAME COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT ON THE WORK GROUP WHO DON'T WANT THE SPEED REDUCED.
ARE THERE VIEWS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU CHANGE SPEED OR NOT? GOT IT.
I THINK EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS MOSTLY CONSENSUS ON THIS, THERE IS A VAST DIVERSITY OF VIEWS THAT I THINK CAN BE REPRESENTED IN CONVERSATION AND IN ESTABLISHING A SPEED STUDY, I WOULD HESITATE TO OPEN IT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FOR EXAMPLE.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU DO, I'M ASKING, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO I, I WOULD NOT COMMIT TO IT AT THIS POINT, BUT THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES.
WELL, I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU CHANGE YOUR PROCESS AT ALL.
I'M ASKING WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS, AS CURRENTLY IMAGINED, THE ANSWER IS, IS NO.
IT WOULD BE THE WORKING GROUP WOULD HAVE INPUT AND YOU WOULD DO YOUR THING.
UM, SO YOU'LL AT SOME POINT COME BACK WITH AN, WITH A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE SPEED STUDY.
UM, THAT PRESUMABLY WILL GIVE YOU THE RESULTS THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE WORK GROUP WANT IS, I MEAN, IS SO YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH THE SPEED STUDY.
IS THAT WHAT WE COULD HEAR IN THE FUTURE? SO IT WAS LISTED THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING NECESSARILY SET ASIDE FOR THIS, BUT LIKE I SAID, IF, IF PARTNER'S WILLING TO PARTICIPATE AND, AND BRING THAT TO THE TABLE, WE CAN CARVE OUT ROOM IN OUR CAPACITY TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE DESIGN IN A WAY THAT IS REPLICABLE, THAT IS OBJECTIVE, AND WE CAN HAVE AN OBJECTIVE RESULT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHETHER OR NOT IT BEATS THE SAFETY GUIDANCE OF THE FOREST SERVICE AND SPEECH SHOULD BE CHANGED AND THEN GETS REPLICATED INTO THE FUTURE BECAUSE CONDITIONS CHANGE, YOU KNOW, USE CHANGES.
AND SO I DON'T EXPECT ONE SPEED STUDY TO ANSWER FOREVER WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE.
SO, UM, ALEX, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO TAKE A SEAT.
WE'RE GOING TO, UM, GO TO THE CARDS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK, UH, AFTER WE HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, CARL JACKSON WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ROB ADAMS. SO THIS HAS BEEN EXPECTED, BUT VERY FRUSTRATING.
SO, UH, MY NAME'S CARL JACKSON.
I'M A STONE OWNER RESIDENT, AND I ALSO LIVE IN BROKEN ARROW.
AND I'M ALSO A PRETTY ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE GSRC.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, FOREMOST, I DO WANT TO SAY IF ALL THE PROPOSED STRATEGIES WERE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY.
AND WE'D BE FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT IMPACTS AND BROKEN ARROW, THAT'S WHY THE GSRC FULL REPORT RECOMMENDS A, A PERMIT SYSTEM TO REDUCE VOLUME IMPACTS BOTH SOCIAL IMPACTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON MORGAN ROAD AND IN THE FOREST, BECAUSE WE HAVE OHVS DRIVING ON THE RED ROCKS, LEAVING BLACK RUBBER MARKS AND HAVING IMPACTS UP AT CHICKEN POINT CONFLICTS WITH HIKERS, BIKERS AND OHVS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT A PERMIT SYSTEM.
AND WE WANT A GATE TO, TO, UH, TO ENFORCE THE PERMIT SYSTEM.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE PERMIT SYSTEM TO REDUCE VOLUME IMPACTS BOTH OUTSIDE OF THE FOREST IN THE, ON THE CITY AND IN THE FOREST WITH A GATE FOR ENFORCEMENT.
THE FOREST SERVICE TOLD YOU IN THEIR FACTS, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU PERMIT SYSTEM.
IT WASN'T EVEN ON ANY OF THE SLIDES.
WE ARE NOT GETTING A PERMIT SYSTEM.
IT'S THE LAST THING THEY'RE GONNA DO, KICKING AND SCREAMING.
SO I DON'T, SO BASED ON THAT, IT WAS A KEY PILLAR OF THE GSRC FULL REPORT AND WE'RE
[03:10:01]
NOT GETTING IT.AND ALSO IT WAS A CITY REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE A PERMIT SYSTEM FOR OHV SAFETY ON PUBLIC ROADS.
REMEMBER, THIS IS ABOUT THE CITY.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE, THE SPEED LIMIT.
YOU'RE TALKING THE FOREST SERVICE ABOUT SPEED LIMITS ON THE FOREST ROAD, TALKING ABOUT SPEED LIMITS ON CITY ROADS.
SO HOW DO WE IMPROVE SAFETY IF WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A PERMIT SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT GONNA IMPROVE SAFETY.
OHV SAFETY ON PUBLIC ROADS IS WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL DEMANDS.
AND IT'S NOT GONNA GET IT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA GET A PERMIT SYSTEM.
SO WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS? THERE'S TWO, I THINK THE CITY HAS TO JUST STEP AWAY AND TAKE THE PROCESS INTO ITS OWN HANDS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM ANY OTHER WAY.
SO WHAT CAN THE CITY DO IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET A PERMIT SYSTEM? ONE, REVISIT THE ORDINANCE, REVISIT THE PROHIBITION OF OHVS ON PUBLIC ROADS.
THE OTHER IDEA IS A REDUCED SPEED LIMIT, BUT A REDUCED SPEED LIMIT JUST FOR UTVS AND SIDE BYSIDE, NOT FOR ALL VEHICLES.
IT'S A SPEED LIMIT THAT'S SET 10 MILES BELOW THE MAXIMUM STATED SPEED LIMIT LIMIT ON THE ROAD.
SO IN MORGAN, ALL THE VEHICLES COULD GO 25, EXCEPT IF YOU'RE A UTV OR A SIDE BY SIDE, YOU HAVE TO GO 10 MILES LESS AS 15.
IT WILL REDUCE NOISE AND IT WILL IMPROVE SAFETY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
UH, ROB ADAMS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, JANET JOHNSON.
JANET, ARE YOU STILL HERE? OH, BEHIND THAT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UH, MY NAME'S ROB ADAMS. I LIVE IN BROKEN ARROW.
UM, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS OHV ISSUE FOR OVER 10 YEARS, AND THE IMPACTS OF THE O HVS ON THE FOREST FLOOR AND PA UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ON THE OTHER USERS IN THE FOREST AND HOW TO MITIGATE THAT.
UH, I'VE BEEN ON THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS, TWO CITIZEN ENGAGEMENTS AND, AND THE GSRC, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND TOO MUCH, UH, DUE TO AN ACCIDENT.
BUT THE OUTCOME WITH ALL OF THESE GROUPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
AND I CALL IT C IT'S, IT'S CALLED SIGNS ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION.
THAT'S THE SAME OUTCOME EVERY TIME.
AND HONESTLY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE SOLUTIONS, NOTHING.
AN INCREASE IN THE PROBLEM IS THE, IS THE OUTCOME.
NOW, I HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THE, UH, CONVENING GROUP, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE TEETH IN THAT IN THE ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S MORE TEETH IN, IN THE SIGNAGE AND, AND RESTORATION AND WHATNOT.