Seminars on tap for Carefree citizens

By Curtis Riggs | July 22, 2009

Transparency leads to understanding
CAREFREE – Thanks to a new series of seminars, residents will be able to learn things about the town and its operations they were afraid to ask about.

The seminars, which reflect the change in town councils from the previous one, were developed by freshman Councilman Peter Koteas. He sees them as a way of making town operations more transparent.

"They were brought forth because of promises made during the campaign so citizens can understand some things that were previously done behind closed doors," he said.

The seminars will begin in January of 2010. They will range from town budgeting to the Carefree Water Company and the Carefree Municipal Court.

Koteas and fellow freshman councilwoman Susan Vanik are heading up the seminar committee. Koteas said more will be announced about the free seminars at a town council open house in November.

Koteas sees the seminars as giving citizens a "more insightful look into how the town functions."

He uses the water company as an example of how little citizens know about the town and its operations. There are two water company seminars planned (water conservation and how your water company works).

Koteas, who freely admits that before becoming a councilman he didn’t like what he knew about the water company. The seminars could give residents a better understanding of the process to establish new rate schedules.