|
Thank you for posting the terrorism
videos! Very informative- Here are a
couple links that people may also be
interested in- More of a "stealth
jihad" on the American education
system and our young people-
(these speakers go to grade schools,
middle schools, high schools,
colleges and other places)
|
Volume 179-10 Christmas Issue December 13th, 2009
The Scottsdale Activist will not publish allegations, libelous statements, profanity, or personal attacks without a verifiable basis. All letters, columns, pictures, or political cartoons submitted must include the authors or artists name, address, daytime phone number, and email. All personal information except the author, photographer or artists name will remain strictly confidential without being released, sold or distributed in any manner. We assume no responsibility for the contents of letters, columns, or cartoons and reserve the right to—at our discretion—edit or refuse to print any submissions or parts thereto without the need for justification. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of the authors/artists and not necessarily the opinions of The Scottsdale Activist .
============================================
We may not be here every week or even every month, But we have our eyes and ears open for everything important to the City of Scottsdale residents!!
When it's something Important, we'll get it to you as soon as we can!!
============================================
This a
"No
Cost, No Sponsor"
website dedicated to
the Citizens of
Scottsdale who care enough about their city to get involved.
Just Click the Sign up Button
This is your personal palette from which you may "Paint the Tone" of the Scottsdale picture as YOU see it!
==========================================
Troop Gift Info, the USO Site, A Gathering of Eagles site, and other Local Websites and Newspaper links are now located in the "Information You Can Use" section of this website.
|
Table of Contents Pick the Article in this Table of Contents that you wish to read, then Just Click ~ Editorials -- Staff editor@scottsdaleactivist.com ~COGS Corner—The Coalition of Greater Scottsdale ~ Christmas & Holiday Items of Interest ~Other Stuff of Interest ~ Information You Can Use
~ Look up Prior Editions? Click on a date to open.
|
~ Editorials -- Staff
~New Administrative Text Amendment Suggested
The Carriage Hills (La Posada) HOA president David Froelich and his board did NOT have the approval of their property owners as required by their own CC&R's and Articles of Incorporation. These legal documents require documented permission from 75% of the HOA property owners before the HOA could petition the city for anything.
The HOA president is a licensed real estate broker and knew the law and apparently decided to ignore it (since COS letters dated 1994 & 1995) and is trying to push the city to approve a plant list not acceptable to many including the Preserve Conservancy and many large, locally recognized citizen organizations.
To eliminate any further problems such as the Carriage Hills (La Posada) plant list debacle, the city council in concert with the interim city manager and city legal department need to formulate a new Administrative Rule or text amendment which simply states:
This simple Administrative Rule would have stopped the Carriage Hills (La Posada) HOA from illegally using hundreds of staff and city council hours and thousands of taxpayer’s dollars for something which was against their CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation from the beginning.
As discussed this last Monday morning with David Richert, Jim Lane, and Sherry Scott, we would sincerely appreciate the city council, the city manager, and the city attorney putting their heads together and see what can be done to implement this suggestion ASAP.
George Knowlton
480.326.2475
~The Carriage Hills (La Posada) Saga Drags On…
Oh, Where, Oh, Where has the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission (NEC) Gone?
Yoo
hoo! Are you out there……….. anywhere?????It breaks our hearts to have to take after a commission that several of us have served on in years past when it was proactive in dealing with neighborhood problems, neighborhood revitalization and beautification.
Whether a neighborhood was organized with Home Owners Associations (HOA) or one of the older neighborhoods established before HOA’s existed in Scottsdale, the NEC was available to help research, hold hearings, and attend neighborhood meetings to discuss revitalization.
Now we have a REALLY BIG problem with an HOA governed neighborhood, Carriage Hills (La Posada) in North Scottsdale, and the NEC is no where to be found causing all kinds of serious legal boo-boos by staff and Council. These boo-boos are costing everybody unnecessary time and dollars…….as in tax dollars, as well as setting a very bad precedent if continued on it’s current course.
Those good folks living in Carriage Hills (La Posada) can’t quite get the fact through their heads that they live in a City that is very much involved in preserving the Sonoran
Desert habitat through enforcement of the ESLO (Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinance) and the NPO (Native Plan Ordinance #2262 Sec. 7.500, 1981).This case is bazaar beyond belief. The City Council voted 6-1 that the Code Enforcement Department and the Planning Department need to oversee efforts for Carriage Hills/La Posada to get in compliance with the Native Plant Ordinance that they have battered about for years by planting material that is considered invasive under City Ordinance guidelines and, at one point, killing off all native vegetation in a catch basin area located within NAOS controlled area, with chemicals and without a permit to do so.
For some reason the wheels of government were grinding really slowly on this one, too. The Code Enforcement team, over a period of several years, dragged their feet on citing the HOA/and individual homeowners. With all of
the houses in the development (under 70), perhaps the Code Enforcement officer assigned to that area was afraid of getting writers cramp filling out all of those citations. Or, maybe they were ordered NOT to issues Notices of Violation (NOV’s) by the department manager or fired city manager Dolan.Then, too, they would have to trudge door to door to deliver them and this heat…..WOW!
In the "old days" of 2000, they would have had to report to the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission on this problem, too, in order to be in compliance with the Purposes of the NEC as stated in their Bylaws. For instance some of the NEC purposes are:
ii. Enhancing the long-term viability of Scottsdale’s neighborhoods.
v. Building neighborhood self-esteem by encouraging awareness of the unique role each neighborhood plays now, and has played, in the development of Scottsdale, and build a sense of neighborhood pride, both in the physical and attitudinal sense.
vi. Encouraging the building of unity, both within neighborhoods and between neighborhoods, for the goal of a unified, cohesive Scottsdale, thereby achieving and maintaining a nurturing environment.
vii. Encouraging neighborhoods to develop a sense of identity, recognizing the unique features and character embodied within and accentuating them.
viii. Elevation the concept of neighborhood "health, safety, welfare and viability" to first priority consideration among residents, property owners and the city government.
xi. IMPROVING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY.
With the NEC being AWOL, and Code Enforcement management dragging their feet and staff not coordinated to carry out the directive from the City Council, let me see, now, that leaves the HOA.
We can’t say enough about their arrogance…..and ignorance of their own Codes, Covenants and Regulations, here to fore CC&R's and Articles of Incorporation.
They have made unilateral decisions not following the CC&R's for a community vote or even community notification since 1994 according to letters asking for compliance.
Being as the president of their board is a long time Scottsdale real estate broker, one would think he would be up to speed on HOA laws in the State of Arizona, and the Neighborhood Services Department of Scottsdale that is there to help neighborhoods by providing concise information and avoid problems and to help solve those that exist.
That department also sponsors an HOA meeting once a year for discussion and update on all issues relating to neighborhoods, including the ESLO and the Native Plant Ordinance.
Where was the Carriage Hills (La
Posada) HOA president & board during these meetings?Carriage Hills (La Posada) went before the Development Review Board on July 9, 2009, seeking to amend the Native Plant list so that their plant boo-boos would become part of the list. The DRB, chaired by Councilman Ecton who strongly opposed such an amendment, approved the list.
Subsequently, on July 28, 2009, the City Council decided to take under review the DRB approval.
At the City Council meeting of August 25, 2009, some of the players were in the room for the Council action on this item. I say some of the players, because no one from Code Enforcement was there and no one from the NEC was there on the record.
Carriage Hills (La Posada) was represented first at the podium to speak by Ben Patton of Triadvocates Public Policy Lobbyists Arizona and Washington, D.C., affiliated with the law firm of Quarles & Brady. Mr. Patton said he was negotiating on behalf of the HOA with the City to resolve the problem plant issues BUT included in his comments to Council were the following elements:
….withdraw the appeal of the DRB decision; direct staff and the HOA and neighbors to enter in negotiations; and that the parties return to the City within 60 days to deliver the results of their negotiations.
(We will give him one thing. He had the timeline right. We are now well past the 60 day date and there is no recorded progress to resolve this illegal mess.)
At that City Council meeting in August, Councilman Ecton made a motion to: Nullify the DRB decision; Request Carriage Hills (La Posada) to apply both 2009 ESL Plant list and the original plant list – to non-NAOS areas to bring them into compliance; Direct staff to work with neighborhood for a smooth transition; and return to Council for approval of plants not on the approved list.
This motion passed 6/1 with Councilwoman Borowsky dissenting (go figure).
It is now December and those good folks have not crossed the threshold of the City Hall Kiva with, well, anything. Zip. Zilch. Nothin’, and apparently they're trying to shmooze their way to delay the clock until December 2010 for whatever reason.
This case continues to bounce around the halls of the City Manager, Planning Department, and Code Enforcement like those crazy Super Balls that
if you bounced it hard enough it would bounce off of anything and everything in its way carried by it's own directionless momentum.We heard that the City does not want to bring "any outside Lawyers" into it…..well Carriage Hills
(La Posada) has already done that via Triadvocates and their affiliates at the Quarles and Brady legal firm.What we have is a comedy of errors and illegalities built upon a multitude of sins perpetrated upon this city by the flagrant failure of the Carriage Hills (La Posada) HOA to follow their own rules since their inception.
Enough time has been wasted on this and Council should call all parties back to the Kiva and set a time-line of no more than 30 days for them to report back to Council and be in compliance. If they don’t or won’t then start issuing fines per property not in compliance and the HOA, not the residents, pay the fines.
As well, Council should find out where the breakdown was in this case on the city side. Who did what, when, why, how and what do we do to see that this never happens again.
Nancy Cantor, Chair
Scottsdale Coalition
~ John Little Out: David Richert in.................
Hopefully, we have seen the last of John Little, or have we? He is hinting at running for Mayor. Really? He couldn't get the budget right, totally screwed up the City Organizational Chart (why would anyone put Code Enforcement under Economic Vitality??), has told many false stories to employees to turn them against the first Mayor (Lane) since Drinkwater to do what Lane said he would do during his campaign, and John Little continues to flaunt his huge ego all over town acting as if he is the injured party in his self-deprecating calamity.
To John Little we say "Pack your bags". Try a run for Mayor and we'll expose all of the other things we know about you including the purchase of $3,000 per desk for your downtown office and that's just the smallest thing on our list.
We now welcome David Richert, formerly of the city of Phoenix, as the Interim City Manager apparently with his eye squarely on getting the job on a permanent basis. He comes with mixed reviews by those in Scottsdale who have met with him since he came on the scene. Some see him as a snake oil salesman with his main interest and eyes on the prized city manager job at any cost with little respect for the citizens who really care about their city. Others say he seems at first glance to be an honest person but who needs to learn a lot more about how Scottsdale works including the dedicated city activist community, commissions, boards, and task forces. They say he needs to remember that this is Scottsdale, not Phoenix which is the difference between night and day.
Having met with him, I find him to be a very good listener, knowledgeable, intellegent, and talks a good talk, but we all need to wait to see if he walks the same walk he talks.
It will take him some time to get his feet on the ground and repair the damage done by Dolan and Little and to get all departments to work together again. Planning doesn't talk to Legal, Code Department doesn't co-ordinate with Planning, Legal hasn't followed the progression of Code Enforcement, and on it goes.
We want to believe that David Richert will be the person we want in the City Manager role, but only time and his actions will tell.
It would seem that city staff has again stepped beyond the legal bounds afforded them under city ordinances and laws currently in place without the legal intervention by the city legal department due to the staff not requesting a legal ruling.
In 1994 & 1995, the Campana Administration through directly written communications, denied the Carriage Hills (La Posada) subdivision their request to change the plant, shrub and tree list as outlines and referred to within the HOA CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation recorded in 1987 and amended in 1993. So, since 1994, they have known that the list was, in fact, in place and enforceable and they have purposely disregarded the list and the HOA presidents and boards have never bothered to communicate to new property owners what was required under the enforceable laws and ordinances.
Staff has taken it upon themselves to, knowingly or unknowingly, illegally negotiate with the residents through the HOA president and board which is explicitly denied without seventy five percent (75%) approval of the property owners in the subdivision as outlined in the HOA’s legally recorded CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation.
The city legal department apparently unaware of the serious situation, is allowing the staff to continue this illegal negotiation and they are creating a monster that will destroy the northern portion of the city through the infusion of illegal plants, shrubs and trees.
In addition, they will be setting a legal precedent by negotiating with the residents through the HOA president and board in violation of the CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation without a single Notice of Violation (NOV) being issued while openly violating and bypassing the 75% rule as written and recorded in their CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation.
Immediate Solutions Needed:
The new city legal department should intervene immediately and ask the Code Enforcement department to issue NOV’s ASAP to all violators in ALL offending subdivisions before any more is done by planning staff. That will then allow city staff to legally negotiate with any residents (NOT the HOA) who wish to contest the contents of the NOV’s. This process would legalize the process, prevent a bad precedent setting legal situation which could cost the city ten’s of millions in taxpayer dollars, and clean up the mess made by an out of touch and less than up front HOA president and board.
The current city manager and city legal department cannot be held responsible for this illegal mess. It all began under Manross, Dolan and Robberson, then carried on by Little which is why they were all fired or not re-elected.
By Code Enforcement enforcing the plant, shrub, and tree list, both old and new as required by law, it would graphically inform all residents and all HOA’s that the city is going to strictly enforce the laws and ordinances of the city beginning with Carriage Hills (La Posada). This will cause other HOA’s to be pulled up short so to speak and get their property owners up to date on their own CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporations. It will also point out to property owners that their HOA presidents and boards DO NOT have the control over owners that some HOA’s seem to promote or demand.
Recommendations:
Code Enforcement to immediately Issue the NOV’s to the individual violators and let each violator determine if they agree or disagree with the issue based upon their understanding of their CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation which control their subdivisions. To be completed without intervention with or by the HOA who failed the residents for well over a decade. It’s totally a city issue now solely between the city and the residents, not the HOA.
Approve the Administrative Text Amendment which will stop HOA’s from acting without full, documented approval of their property owners as outlined in the CC&R’s and Articles of Incorporation in the future.
Have every staff manager/director clear all material that could become a legal issue with the city legal department before proceeding with an issue that could cost the city millions. Isn’t that what we pay them to do for us?
Demand better oversight by all department managers into any and all operations which could cause a legal problem of any kind. In other words get involved and know exactly what’s going on in your department. Computer games and other non-city interests need to cease during city business hours. You know who you are don't you!
It's past time for the city to gat back on track and correct the problems and lack of communication with which we were burdened under Manross, Dolan, Little, and Robberson.
~Simple Solution to Employee Benefit Payments
Huge amounts of accrued sick leave and earned vacation time due employees almost broke the bank of the city ($13 million) under John Little’s misstated retirement package for those who wished to take the package instead of the figure Little quoted to the city council of $3 to $4 million.
What follows is a proposed plan which is a compilation from a number of local businesses, a number of national retail chains, and some government entities.
These new guidelines would be easy to administer and to explain to new hires. More tenured employees would have the option to change to the new plan and add up to the maximum limits of their current totals to their new plan totals. Hours built up above the new limits prior to the new system would be held as suggested and as stated in the paragraph below.
Accumulated sick time hours accumulated prior to the new system would only be paid upon retirement without any interest growth or monetary/hours additions, but not under voluntary resignation or forced termination (fired).
Any amount of accrued vacation hours over the maximum amount allowed under the new plan could either be moved over to comp time up to the new limits, or left to be collected upon retirement without any interest growth or monetary/hours additions.
Any amount of Comp time over the allowable limit must be transferred to the vacation account up to the new limits. Employees not able to transfer all comp hours would have up to one hundred twenty (120) days to use any outstanding overages but no more than eight (8) hours per week, subject to management approval, until all is spent so as not to disrupt employee staffing. New comp hours cannot be added to old accumulations.
Suggested program:
Sick time hours:
·
Maximum employee sick hours allowed to accrue; 240 hours (thirty [30] 8 hour days)·
Any accrued sick hours over the maximum 240 hours would be paid to any eligible employee as a taxable stipend on the anniversary of their hire date onto the city workforce.Vacation hours:
·
Maximum vacation hours allowed to accrue; 360 hours (forty five [45] 8 hour days)·
Any accrued vacation time over 360 hours must either be taken as time off work, moved to comp time subject to maximum accrual rules if available, or lost.·
Vacation time above the maximum limit allowable cannot be transferred to accrued sick time.Compensatory time;
·
Maximum allowed Comp time; 120 hours (fifteen [15] 8 hour days)·
Any accrued comp time over the 120 hour maximum must be taken, moved to vacation time subject to vacation maximum accrual rules, or lost.·
Accrued Compensatory time can only be used for days (hours) off without monetary compensation unless employee chooses to be paid for Comp time.·
Employee must decide to be paid for comp time or to take it as time off on each Benefits Renewal period every year.·
Comp time above the maximum limit allowable cannot be transferred to accrued sick time.Comments:
This new program would eliminate massive benefit payments when employees retire, resign voluntarily, or are terminated for cause as just happened under John Little.
This plan would be fair to all, would be easy to implement and predict (calculate) financially, and would finally help provide the city with a controllable annual employee expense by paying out stipends over the entire year based upon the anniversary dates of employees.
It will also dramatically lower the sick time used by employees because they will receive a stipend on their annual anniversary date for not using the sick time allocations unless they are actually ill.
This type of innovative program historically shows reduced actual sick days taken with paid sick days actually dropping dramatically in exchange for the stipend paid annually on the employees’ anniversary date.
~ Elections and Other Important Thoughts
Thank you for reading the Scottsdale Activist, but please remember that just reading about the problems Scottsdale has, and the possibilities for the future is not going to accomplish the real work that needs to be done.
Each and every one of us must vote and participate in community activities, be it updating the General Plan, revising the City Charter, community area planning, neighborhood revitalization, and/or community safety.
It is not hard to do anymore. With the computers most of us can stream various City Council meetings and boards, commissions and task force meetings by both audio and video. You can read, easily, the minutes of meeting so that you get the info without editorializing directly from the city website.
We have an election coming up in 2010 for both Council seats and amendments to the City Charter, and it is the responsibility of all voters to really know the candidates and understand the issues.
Know who the candidates are, who supports them, what their affiliations are professionally; know how they have previously served the community and what their experience has been with city issues.
The City Charter is the foundation of our local government and needs to be able to address the broad issues that growth has put upon our plates.
Sadly, big money and complimentary photos will again be calling the shots, but that doesn’t mean those candidate will do the job required to sustain our city.
Our past 10 years have proven that fact haven't they?
A pretty face or tons of developer money a good council member doesn't make.
Make sure that the quality of the candidates is considered above the quantity paid for campaigning or a striking photo.
Do your homework! If you have questions, please direct them to us and as a staff, we’ll do the best we can to give you an honest, non-partisan, answers based on the facts as we know them to be.
The Appeal Hearing for the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce conviction on Illegal Election practices was held and the Chamber lost yet again. When will they learn?
It would seem that either the Chamber has a great fear that divulging the contributors will ruin some major local reputations including those of the chamber executive committees, or they are just ego-maniacs. Take your choice.
Why do McCullagh and Klapp still belong to the Chamber? That's the question on most citizens lips.
Personally, we feel that the Chamber and their lawyers are still hiding from something or behind something, time will tell.
A Public Reading of Bill of Rights Will Commemorate American Freedom.
The Public Seems Eager to Enforce the Bill of Rights against the Feds Outrageous usurpations motivate the public -- and the states -- to push back.
Honor the Bill of Rights at the exquisite Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, on the day The Bill was first ratified in 1791.
An evening you won't forget, with special guest "George Washington," and a solemn reading, out loud, from a parchment copy of the document that changed the world.
Refreshments, companionship, a splendid time is guaranteed for all. Can't get to Phoenix? Celebrate at a place near you.
December 15th this year is a Tuesday, mark your calendars now.
Here in Phoenix we're going back to The Wrigley Mansion! If you've never been to this stunning landmark, now is the time!
George Washington will be our guest of honor! Dr. Lance Hurley, who nobly portrayed Patrick Henry last year, has a new outfit and a new very old speech.
This is your chance to take a few moments from your day, assemble with like-minded Americans, and honor the document that helps make us who we are -- defining limits on government, and setting the baseline for a free nation.
Committees of Correspondence nationwide are beginning to prepare for a Bill of Rights Commemoration. Last year people left in awe at the grandeur and significance, after reading one of the most famous writings the world has ever seen.
Forward this message to your friends elsewhere -- simple instructions for holding you own event locally are linked below. Pick a place, read the Bill of Rights, easy. You're an American. Do it.
We will read the Bill of Rights aloud from parchment copies. Afterwards, we will discuss its health.
Splendid light appetizer buffet and a cash bar will be available.
Bill of Rights Day Celebration at the Wrigley Mansion Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009
Only $15 per person, payable at the door
5 PM Doors open
6 PM Program begins
7 PM Reading of the Bill of Rights
7:15 PM Community discussion of the health of the Bill Of
Rights.
9 PM Last stragglers trickle out
The Wrigley Mansion
http://www.wrigleymansionclub.com
2501 E. Telawa Trail; Phoenix, AZ
(E. of 24th St., S. of Lincoln Dr.)
602-955-4079
The caterers need a mouth count, so YOU MUST RSVP ASAP! by email to attend:
bor-day@gunlaws.com?subject=BOR-RSVP
Respond ASAP, we expect a capacity crowd.
~Effective Non-Profit Loan Modification:
"Helping The People"
It has been a rough couple of years for homeowners. Many were conned into thinking that they could afford homes, no let’s call it shelter, because that is what it is, that cost far more than was realistic.
‘Conned’ by banks, mortgage companies and other
lenders running around handing out loans like lollipops with no
thought for tomorrow. Well, tomorrow came in the late summer of 2008
and the mortgage and housing industry went to "hell in a
hand-basket."
The whole country is suffering because of poor national legislation,
or no national legislation, or no enforcement of existing banking
and lending regulations, and let's throw in the lack of oversight
and greed, purposeful or not, of all the banks and Wall Street
interests.
Those who are strong supporters of "free enterprise" want the
government out of the way (government has not acted so stellar in
this area either way for sometime) so the system can "take care of
it self." Well, that is not happening and won't as long as there are
opportunists, legislators, and non-elected or appointed government
czars who are pulling the strings.
The philosophy may be noble, but the actions of ego-oriented and greedy individuals have blown it out of the water. Those supporting the "free enterprise" theory need to show those, especially those who have lost their homes, jobs, all their worldly good, and endangered the health and well being of their families and themselves, just where the actual "responsibility for a fair and just free enterprise system comes into play."
Integrity seems not to be a part of the lending and banking business anywhere, anymore, especially if you don’t know the ropes or understand the language.
Scottsdalians need not think our city is any different than any other city, anywhere in the USA. Foreclosures are just as big here, with a broader scope from low to moderate housing to prime luxury properties. All of these homeowners especially those that have bought homes in the last 6 or 7 years are in hot water.
Look at some of the recent statistics for Arizona, the state in which we dwell:
Often the powers that be forget the traumatic situation individuals and families are in and they turn a calloused eye to those needing advice and guidance. It is, for some, a humiliating experience that makes them question themselves and the programs and those who promote them.
So attempts to seek information get put off until it is crunch time and by then the difficult decisions are made abruptly without perspective.
Being all about taking "proactive measures" when possible, we recently met with representatives of a local non-profit organization called "Helping The People (HTP)". This organization helps educate through a Home Ownership Awareness and Resource Center, with truthful, timely and reliable information. The key role they play is to "give a homeowner a sense of control in a situation that is out of control."
Their Nationwide Home Resolution Program was created to address the current Foreclosure and Loan Modification Crisis while providing a Real Solution for homeowners. They are successfully closing loan modifications, at a rate of 98%, for financially distressed homeowners via the governments Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). While this program’s expiration is set for 2012, there will be a program review at the time to see if needs exist to extend the program.
Dignity is a precious commodity that we often neglect. It is especially important to be mindful of the dignity of all who are going through financial problems at this time.
The Home Resolution Program respects this privacy and their application can be accessed from your home computer via their secure website. It takes less than 10 minutes to apply and within 24 hours the homeowner will be contacted for a personal FREE consultation and evaluation by their assigned processor.
This financial and mortgage assessment will inform the homeowners of their available options so they can feel confident in their decisions moving forward.
Considering there are 7.5 million homeowners who are currently at least 30 days late on their mortgage, you’d be very surprised on how many homeowners actually qualify for this program. (Mortgage Bankers Association November 19, 2009)
Click on the banner below to make an application
and receive your FREE evaluation/consultation and more information
about loan modifications.
Or call Michele Swinick @ 602.885.7607
or fax 480.393.5983
We hope that you will take a look at this article and share it and
the contact information with others who might appreciate such
counseling in the privacy of their own home.
Staff
 |
~COGS CORNER—The Coalition of Greater Scottsdale
December 2009 is a busy month for task force meetings, interim staff appointments (city manager and treasurer), staff job movements (per John Little’s organizational chart(?) Revert to former organization(?) Has interim city manager a new plan(?), and the usual year-end rush for local citizens and business owners. So, what has been happening of interest to we ordinary citizens and small business owners ?
Goon Squad Report:
Do you remember the Hanover Project—an entire city block south of 5th Avenue and north of Indian School Road? Remember the 3,000 citizen signatures that were thrown out because of an error in the petition legal title? Remember the "goons" who harassed citizen signature collectors? Open this link for the current California activities of this group.
http://capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=ygrvk0vlybl9iq&xid=yggjupda15hw6i&done=.ygrvk0vlyc49iq
Task Force Report:
McDowell Corridor/Southern Scottsdale Economic Development:
Two new meeting dates have been added to provide additional opportunities for the public to attend and comment. Meetings are in SkySong room 129 at 8 am to 10 am January 7th (new) and January 14th plus the evening 5-7pm January 28th (new), and February 4th 8 am to 10am. To this date many presenters have shared their vision, business ideas, and recreational plans for the area. The task force members will now narrow and draft their action plan/recommendations for the City council to 4 categories:
(1) Vision/Target Market Position
(2) City Efforts to Attract, Retain and Promote Businesses
(3) Area Infrastructure and Amenities (4) Neighborhood Involvement. The first topic will be the focus of the January 7th meeting.
Please e mail us at cogsaz@cox.net if you want a copy of the detailed discussion to be agendized. Attend and comment if at all possible.
Task Force Report:
Downtown Character Area Plan:
The next meeting on Monday, Dec 14th, will move to city hall and be broadcast LIVE on Channel 11 beginning at 7:30am. The members of this task force are reviewing the already City Council approved Downtown Plan 2009. The small business owners in the group have serious concerns about the ordinances that will be drafted by staff related to parking, transit, and what incentives/flexibility will be given to developers to promote downtown construction or remodeling.
At the November 30th meeting, staff summarized downtown traffic as;
(1) Flows to and through downtown are appropriate during both the morning and evening peak periods
(2) There is less than a 55 second delay at any of the 22 signalized intersections and 17 of those operate at less than 35 second delay
(3)150,000 cars enter downtown and approximately 60% have destinations there
(4) As a confirmation, staff restated that an April 2007 analysis determined that Chaparral Road from Miller Road to 78th Street should remain a two-lane roadway and the council approved Villa Monterey petitions on May 29, 2007.
If you would like a copy of the task force member comments, concerns and recommendations regarding parking availability, signage, underground parking and garages, parking requirements and future construction, please e mail us at
Events to enjoy with your family:
Farmers' Market in Old Town every Saturday
morning 8:30 to 1 pm at the SW corner of Brown Ave/1st Street and
the next day—
The Canal Concert Series every Sunday from 2 to 5 pm at the south end of the trolley bridge at Stetson/6th Avenue.
Mark your new 2010 calendar for these events:
Fiesta Bowl ArtWalk
Historic Downtown Walking tour
Rock n Roll Marathon Art Walk
PF Chang Rock n Roll Marathon Race
Barrett Jackson Collector Auto Auction at WestWorld
Russo & Steele Collector Auto Auction
Az Sun Circuit Quarter Horse Show at WestWorld
Gooding & Company Auto Auction
Native Trails Indian Dancers
Hashknife Gang
For the Coalition of Greater Scottsdale (COGS) Board
of Directors,
Sonnie Kirtley, Chairperson
www.cogsaz.net website
Mailing: COGS 3370 North Hayden Rd # 123-766, Scottsdale AZ 85251
~The Modern "Night Before Christmas" Poem
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'
This poem was
written by a Marine. The following is his request. I think it is
reasonable.....
PLEASE!! Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Just use your computer "copy" feature, highlight the
poem and these instructions and hit "copy", then use the "Paste" feature
paste it into a new email to your friends & family.
Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men, women, and Canadian Forces for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe.
Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
~Winter, Christmas, Solstice, Holidays..Music
It's coming on Christmas,
They're cutting down trees,
They're putting up reindeer,
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh, I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green……………
Thank you, Joni Mitchell and the Iain Anderson program on BBC Radio Scotland (manned by Captain Anderson and the Crew of the Hesperus), and
"
Nollaig chridheil huibh!...................................Merry Christmas!"Hadn’t thought about those lyrics in a long time…….since listening to BBC Radio Scotland (computer stream and iPod downloads) and Radio Six International (shortwave or computer stream), there are a lot of Christmas songs and Winter songs that I had forgotten about, and some I wish I had been aware of long ago.
How about some of these to jog your memory, too:
"
Easy Like the Snow Falls Down," by Buffy Sainte-Marie"
Hot Buttered Rum," by Mary Chapin Carpenter"
Christmas Has Done Nothing Wrong," by The Jules Maxwell Project (This one was new to me but kind of apropos for some in broadcasting over here.)"
Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow," by Cherish the Ladies"
Winter When He Goes," by Tracy Grammer"
Silent Night," by Stevie Nicks"
Christmas As I Knew It," by Johnny CashAnd a CD that I found through them called
"Winter's Journey," by Freeland Barbour. There isn’t a cut on the CD that isn’t enjoyable. - Winter morning * Daybreak / A candle end * Steel on ice * All Hallows / The hawthorn and the oak / First snows * Lagavulin * Lagarfljot / Towards a distant shore * The guiding light * Morning lullaby * The golden bough * Cave of ice * Nordland * High above the snowline * Cold east winds * Evening lullaby * Briksdalsbreen / The deep caverns * The moon’s rim * On Friendship’s shore * Shadow of the pines * Kellingir * In the lamplight * Candlemas * Edge of day.Then there is an Indie band from Gothenburg, Sweden called
"Kate and After" with a song called "Snow Angel.""
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," yep, by Bruce Springsteen.American Folk Music has tons of wonderful Christmas songs with their roots all over the world. In 1998 Mike, Penny and Peggy Seeger recorded a wonderful album, CDs hadn’t quite conquered the world yet. It was called,
"American Folk Songs for Christmas."
"
Taste Of Chanukah," a CD recorded live in 1999, in Boston at the New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, with 150 musicians from the New England Conservatory, the Boston Community Gospel Choir, Cantor Morton Shames, humorist Chasia Segal, and host Theodore Bikel.New to me is Canadian harpist and singer, Loreena McKennitt and a CD from 2008 called,
"A Midwinter Night's Dream," with traditional carols and Christmas songs, a beautiful recording.Check out these links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hkv
http://www.radiosix.com/schedule.html
You don’t get Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa holiday or Winter Solstice music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but these two links can give you great selection of music and discussion about music and the musicians. While you are surfing the Internet or composing the ‘great family Christmas letter," listen in to what is going on across the Atlantic.
Sometimes we forget that there is more than one way to celebrate Christmas and other important winter holidays. Music gives a chance to open the doors and let the wonder of music and how others use it to celebrate their traditions and beliefs.
Merry Christmas!
Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël! Buon Natale! Feliz Natal! С Рождеством Христовым! Feliz Navidad! メリークリスマス! Vrolijke Kerstmis. 圣诞快乐. Glaedelig Jul! Boas Festas! Hauskaa Joulua! Maligayang Pasko! God Jul! Nadolig Llawen! З Різдвом! สุขสันต์ วัน คริสต์มาส! Krisimasi Njema. Wesołych Świąt. חַג מוֹלָד שָׂמֵח! کریسمس مبارک! Geseënde Kersfees! Весела Коледа! Sretan Božić! Bon Nadal! Gëzuar Krishtlindjet! Веселата Коледа! Veselé vánoce! Häid joule! Hyvää joulua! Ƙirismetti jin daɗi! Boldog Karácsonyt! Gleðileg jól! Nollaig Shona! 즐거운 성탄절 되세요! Linksmų Kalėdų! Среќен Божиќ! Crăciun fericit! Mutlu Noeller!
~ Information You Can Use
Just click on the logos below to go to these websites.
|
Scottsdale
Election News and Information
|
Send our Brave Troops "Something from Home", Click on Links below.
Gathering of Eagles Website was launched 2/9/07. Click on the Logo above for more information on how they are protecting America's Memorials.
~ UPDATE!! A "Must See" for All Americans
Every American should check out all of these websites to learn more about what the American population is about to have to deal with.
This is NOT for Children.
I don't normally allow anything but Scottsdale information in the Scottsdale Activist but after receiving many emails about this and viewing it, I think that it's imperative that every adult at least look at what's offered here if for nothing more than their own education and to have everyone stop and think about the future of our country. Click on the link below,
If you don't have Adobe Flash, install it from the bottom of the page that comes up after you click on the link above. You should be able to view all available links within the main page.
The website below is of great interest as seen from a Lebanese point of view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8fa9yKQeTY
The website below gives some history of Terrorist attacks:
http://patriotfiles.org/civilizationcalls.htm
This website tell you what REALLY happened:
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened
~ View Past City Council Meetings
We can now access the city council meetings by clicking on the following link:
http://scottsdale.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3If you have any problems, check your firewall and other safety features which could block access to the city site.
~Continuing Light Rail Information
The Scottsdale Citizens Transportation Study
Committee invites you to view their website for more questions
and answers at
www.norailforscottsdale.com .
================================================================
Simply click on the links below to get all the information you'll ever need concerning Light Rail.
If you have any questions about light rail, send them to editor@scottsdaleactivist.com and we'll get the answers to you as soon as we can.
~ Find Great Gas Prices
Hello All,
This seems to work well. Click on the link below to Check it out. Helpful hint! Just plug in your zip code and it tells you which gas stations have the cheapest prices (and the highest) on gas in your zip code area. It's updated every evening.
Be a good neighbor and pass this along.
The Scottsdale Activist is published, and edited in Scottsdale AZ ~ 480-326-2475