At the Carefree Town Council meeting on July 5, those attending learned that our General Plan will expire in August of this year. Arizona Revised Statute 9-461.05 defines what is needed in General Plans for Townships and Cities. Every 10 years, the General Plan will be updated, then voted on by the electors or, by Council majority vote to be extended as is.
This Carefree Council did neither. The excuse given for not adhering to Arizona Revised Statute 9-461.05 requirements? COVID! This Council had Zoom meetings on everything. Why not the General Plan update? I was asked by Councilman Tony Geiger on April 8, 2021, if I would be interested in applying for a citizen committee on revising the General Plan. If he was aware of the General Plan needing to be revised, I do believe the rest of the Council, including Vice Mayor Crane, was aware, and for sure the Mayor and Town Administrator. Yet nothing was done, including the forming of a committee, to extend or revise the current General Plan. In my opinion, this is malfeasance of office. Why didn’t anyone speak up?
The Economic Development Director could hold meetings starting in January 2021 with citizens who live near the “resort” site at Tom Darlington and Carefree Highway, and his hand-picked TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) group to advise on Town Center redevelopment (as identified in Resolution 2020-11). The Economic Development plan flourished during Covid, yet the General Plan was ignored and left to expire.
The Town of Carefree needs a change in the Council and Mayor. Peter Sample is the only competent choice for Mayor, in my opinion.
John Mattes
Carefree
