Oro Valley Podcast

The town Council needs to come up with a decision on how to spend the remaining $5.4 million of federal funds. It ought to be interesting. I provide you with an idea of what they can be spent on for capital projects.

However, there was a lot of arguing and dissension at the last council meeting. Councilman Nicholson came up with the craziest idea. So it remains to be seen if he can be topped.

This is an 18 minute recap of a foreign 1/2 hour meeting. Anyway I tried to distill the most important topics

1)Seniors get survey, but no ADA help at the community center.

2) Naranja park funding still is generating a lot of controversy. It's your $34 million.

3)Vice Mayor's campaign manager gets planning and zoning committee appointment.

Mike Zinkin and I talk about the need for the town of Oro Valley, in particular the staff, to make sure that the town Council is presented with fully loaded costs for current and future amenity projects. We list a few examples of what is happened in the past and it appears that it may happen in the future. It's important that all costs are taken into consideration so that future town councils aren't faced with huge legacy costs from prior town councils, let's listen in.

The Town Council led by Vice Mayor Barrett, and Councilman Josh Nicholson led the effort to oppose the use of ARAP (Federal)funds for replacing potable water use at the two large parks and Pusch Ridge golf course. The vote was 5 to 2. Councilman, Bohen, and council person. Joyce Jones-Ivey, Barrett, Nicholson, and Mayor Winfield,  voted against the motion to replace the portable use water. 

The local drought initiative group meets every two months to review the drought conditions in southern Arizona. Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, and Sauhrita are part of the group. Also, you will get the latest water conditions for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Hopefully, we will not get to a dead pool condition which would affect power generation for 40 million residents of the western United States.

Dir. Paul Keesler provides future renovation plans that will affect the ADA entrances at the community center. It is interesting to note, that about an hour earlier the Council passed a resolution supporting an additional $3 million which included a splash pad and BMX track for Naranja park. Vice Mayor Barrett balked at the idea of spending more than $1.5 million, which is already been allocated, for the ADA renovation.

This was an extremely long meeting. I have condensed it down to about 46 minutes. As usual you can go on to the Oro Valley Town Council site meetings and agendas, and look for the November 16 meeting. In the beginning are a few public announcements regarding Dave Perry, chief Riley, and theVistoso eseve Park. If you want to skim to the end you will get a sense of the final conclusion of white become around the Naranja park. I have provided dialogue from the Council. Councilman Nicholson firmly believes that the BMX track will bring in bed tax dollars, you make your own decision.

On November 16 at the next town Council meeting you will understand why this subject is very interesting. On April 6, 2022 the town Council made a motion that made ADA  a priority. The town staff totally ignored this and went ahead and plan for a splash pad and BMX track at Marana Park. Now on the agenda is revise spending for the splash pad and BMX track but there is nothing stated, as far as expenses, for the ADA improvement at the community center. Something is wrong and Oro Valley, either as a town Council issue that lacks leadership, or staff that is refusing to hear what the town Council mandates.

The renovated design for the Oro Valley marketplace finally passes. Listen to some of the interesting conversation at the Council level.

Vice Mayor Barrett chose to introduce a complicated change to the planned vote. None of the council members were informed and the vote was delayed.