Follow the money, favors & people using the city government system
When you have a rotating City Council every time they
change hands the policy, process and procedures change.
Pet projects get
voted in with every new set of them.
We all want to believe that a government especially a
small town would want to play fairly. Invite its residents to bring in
talents
welcoming all. Unfortunately that is not the case.
...Chamber control of City Hall
Understanding Home Rule is more than a Yes or No.
Following who and what is getting enriched by the system and taxpayer's
money is the real issue.
The Political Action Group AZ Elections 18
is fighting hard to KEEP Sedona-City-Public money
-
Formed By Steve Segner, Presidents of Sedona Lodging Group, an Affinity group of the chamber.
The Political Action groups State filings including income and expenses are here. page-PAC info -
AZ Elections 18 is primarily funded by lodging industry. There is direct links to same characters being intertwine with city Grants, City Service Contracts along with payments for services renders.
-
Connecting the dots of the players indicates what a person or business is up against. How votes are being bought, who and how they use those to win it.
Newspaper
Small towns like Sedona have many ways to confuse the public. The local
paper picks and chooses who they want to get out of the game and do so.
A
recent article indicated that a person who was researching public documents
and requesting them from the city was responsible for the AG complaint
filed.
This complaint has to do with a no-bid contract with the regional
Sedona for Millions of dollars and the city of Sedona.
The local paper named Donna Varney as the sacrificial lamb. Donna
Varney has been targeted by the paper for local haters. In response to this
article Donna Varney wrote this and hand delivered it. Kyle Larson in an
email agreed to public it but as of 8-2-2018 they have not.
Donna's letter to Newspaper
Sedona Home Rule forum July 28, 2018
The Verde Valley League of Women's Voters hosted a Forum on July 28, 2018
Barbara Littrel was the President of the League and an advocate for the Sedona Chamber during her time on the Sedona City council.
YES Side
Andrea Christelle
didn't disclosed to the public she worked for the Sedona public Library
until a few week before the forum. She was hired by the Library and they
announced in in April 2018 in their news release
Link here She played the scared tactic during the event and even named
the Library as one of those non-profits that would lose money without Home
Rule. The library is funded through property taxes. Learn more about the
wealthy Library here. Understanding
Home Rule Over the last four year the library has received in addition
to the Public funding form our property Taxes
The
Sedona Public Library has received $1,212,898
over the years 2015-2017 averaging $404, 299 a YEAR!
Sedona Public Library - checks by date
Sedona
Public Library Service Contract 2017
Holli Ploog
Also didn't disclosed everything before the public in the forum. She
according to the tax returns of The Sedona Arts Center is the Treasurer. The
Sedona Arts Center has received $106,125 from the city of Sedona Grant
program.
See Return here
The Sedona Arts Center has received
$106,125
between 08/01/2013 to 08/01/2018 from the city of
Sedona
Holli also didn't disclose that she is a supporter of the
PAC AZ elections 18 Link page
City broke it own Policy
then slipped in the change of Grant to 501C 3
Then the City Change it to any 501C which includes Business Associations and other group that are not charity.
Please note that the city gave grants tin 2017 and before to non 501 C(3). as the below images show. Both have dates on them
 Screenshot from 2018 (click on image to enlarge) |
 Screenshot from 2018 (click on image to enlarge) |
Since most of the confusion comes from what is a non-profit, grant, versus service contract. Let’s take a look at that.
Here is the list of Grant recipients from 8-01-2013 to 8/1/2017
I noticed that some of our loved charitable were not in the grant folders.
So trying to understand it I requested another request
and got the
Service Contracts and paid outs.
We do have to look at those being enriched with a
Yes vote. How the non-profits are being scared into a yes vote.
Unlimited budget with no restrictions has
allowed the City council to BUY votes. They BUY Votes by gifting money to
the largest voting blocs.
Look at those that did the Yes on Home
Rule Forum. The two Yes side neglected to tell you that BOTH f them are tied
to non-profits and are recipients of Grant and Service-Contract money from
the City of Sedona.
Since August of 2012 the Sedona Public Library
has received 2.3 million from the city of Sedona via a service contract even
though they are funded by the property taxes from both Yavapai and Coconino
County. The service contract located here:
http://www.sedonacity.com/Grant-Service.htm indicates that the library
must provide services for Residents & Tourists. Why do the residents need
to be double taxed?
Why isn’t that .5% bed tax dollar being used
for tourism improvement if the tourists have increased the burden on the
Sedona Public Library? When Andrea Christelle stood up and spoke Yes
for Home Rule, she neglected to tell you she was employed by the LIBRARY and
recently QUIT.
The Sedona Art Center has received via grant money
totaling $106,125 from August 2013 to August 2017. Why didn’t Holli Ploog
tell you she is the Treasurer of the Sedona Art Center? Holli Ploog also
Contributed to Az Election Pac the is fighting hard to keep the
Chamber no-bid Contract. Why didn’t they tell you at the forum they were
involved in these two non-profit that may funding without Home Rule?
http://www.sedonacity.com/FollowControlSedona.htm
Then we get into AZ Elections 18 who are they?
Who are they paying? Steve Segner president of the Sedona Lodging Council,
an affinity group of the regional Chamber. The Sedona Chamber the recipients
of a no-bid contract = 2.5 million a year.
The regional-chamber uses that money for their
exclusive use, and the legitimate businesses that are required to impose,
collect and manage those in-city-taxes got no voice and no vote nor do they
get to do a performance review on the Chamber so called Destination
Marketing. Why is that?
Looking at those contributing to this group are
90% from those being enriched by the Chambers no bid contract. Those being
paid through AZ Elections 18 are also being enriched by the no bid chamber
contract with the city. Comello Media is paid by AZ Elections 18, owner Al
Comello sits on the Chamber board. He was also Sandy Moriety campaign
manager back in 2012. Al also sits on the Adult Community Center as a
director.
Front Burner Media owned by Heather Herman was
hired by AZ Election 18 according to their report. Heather serves on the
School board, worked for the Sedona Chamber and is married to Mike Herman.
Mike Herman is employed by Pink Jeep Tours and also sits on the Sedona
Chamber Board of Directors.
The AZ election 18 promoted by the Chamber are
fighting hard to keep control of taxpayer’s money. There are ads in the Red
Rock News while Kyle Larson of the Red Rock News sits on the Chamber Board
of Directors also. The newspaper is a major tool for marketing of the
Chamber. So we can only image what a great source of income the Sedona
Chamber’s account is to the paper.
It doesn’t matter where you come from 2.5 million a year is a hell of a lot of MONEY.
Money is on the table folks and THAT is what the vote is about.
Charitable and intergovernmental service agreements:
| Humane Society | Dog Licensing Pick up and animal care |
Provide City with
reports Law Requires A. R. S. § 11-1005 https://www.animallaw.info/statutes/us/arizona |
$64,785 Annual Service |
Very Clear and defined Service Contracts SHS |
| Lynx | Transportation | Provides transportation |
$33,865.00 Annual Service |
Service Contracts lynx |
| Oak Creek Watershed | Water Quality Control | Mandatory Compliance with
MS4, Permitting, Controls, Measurements, Public Educations Storm water |
$15,000 Annual Service |
Service Contracts ocwsc |
| Sedona Community Center | Elder Care & Food Program |
Meals on Wheels Program, breakfast club for weekend meals, Congregate Meals |
$169,122 Annual Service |
SedonaFactCollective/Finance-Budget/Grants/service Contracts/sacc.pdf |
