Voices: You say

CHILDISH PETULANCE

After considerable study and thought, our newly elected council majority finally decided to keep all 36 holes of golf and try to make it successful. They campaigned on reducing the number of holes, and I believe they really tried to deliver that promise. However, the intimidation and bullying of the “green shirts” was a formidable adversary. So be it.

Having made this difficult decision, the majority then set about trying to minimize the negative impact on the town budget by getting commitments for financial contributions from homeowners directly and beneficially affected by the decision as well as paying for needed improvements as money comes available. 

Sound reasonable? Not to the green shirts. We are already hearing of buyers’ remorse from the homeowners who agreed to the funding. And to add insult to injury, now they want to recall the mayor and vice mayor who have given them just about everything they requested.

These residents are like a bunch of petulant children, pouting if they don’t get everything they want. Oro Valley would be better off if they took their victory lap and went golfing. Quit harassing the majority and give them the space they need to continue providing the leadership for which we solidly elected them.

—John Every, Oro Valley

CATERING TO NIMBY

At the Dec. 10 meeting of the Marana council meeting, the council voted to approve the long-range plan for the community—2040 General Plan.

As a long-term resident of this community, I was disgusted by the lack of leadership clearly displayed by our mayor and council. This plan is meant to be a long-term plan for the entire community, but the mayor and council decided that the community is best served by listening only to a group of “Not In My Back Yard” people who attended the meeting. Although many more people participated in the process to help create the plan, the mayor and council felt that this plan is really only about the desires of one neighborhood and not and entire community. Apparently, the mayor lost track of what is best for the community after he was treated to lunch by a few of the NIMBY executive committee members. 

Lastly, if the mayor and council believe this plan is truly what is best for the community, then let’s do it with transparency. This entire community is helping to subsidize one neighborhood by paying over $500,000 annually to lease property for their views. This money could be used in many other places to help improve our community. These same residents also want a second road out of their neighborhood, yet expect the rest of the community to pay for it. 

The progressive community we all have come to expect over the years, now has a short sighted, narrowly focused plan that cost NIMBY a lunch for the mayor but cost this community its future.

—Corey Hoen, Marana

DEVELOPER CONTROL

Regarding Dec. 11 letter “Check Voting Records”: Mr. Prunty implied that my statement regarding blading our desert to dust, disappearing saguaros and wildlife habitat, 5-foot setbacks and 7,000-square-foot lots under the previous administration were misrepresented. Nonsense.

Since 2016, when Hiremath’s majority including current council members Piña, Rodman and Solomon, no developer request for a General Plan change or rezoning was denied. During this period there were 14 council votes on General Plan changes and rezoning requests. Thirteen were approved on 7-0 votes, and one got by on a 6-1 vote. This is what a developer-controlled town council looks like. 

Mayor Winfield and Council Members Barrett, Nicholson and Jones-Ivey stopped this developer-first approach. Imagine if these four had not been elected, Oro Valley open space would be subject to mass grading for high-density residential.

The recall organizers and Oro Valley Thrives want to bring a developer-controlled town council back to Oro Valley.

—Kim Krostue, Oro Valley