BY LINDA BENTLEY | FEBRUARY 13, 2013
Wise to retire after 16 years
Total tax revenues down 9.5 percent through December 2012
CAREFREE – During the Feb. 5 town council meeting Mayor David Schwan announced the town had closed on the open space land purchases recently approved by council.
He then read a letter into the record, dated Jan. 29, from Town Clerk/Treasurer Betsy Wise announcing her retirement after 16 years with the town. Her last day will be June 14.
Everyone present gave Wise a standing ovation to honor her service to Carefree.
Schwan said the town has initiated the process of finding a replacement.
The mayor also announced two special meetings of the town council coming up.
One is scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 19 to canvass the vote from the March 12 election and to start the budget process.
The second meeting will be at 4 p.m. on April 16 to continue the budget process.
Schwan then announced he had some bad news and displayed a fiscal year total tax revenue comparison report for FY 2011-2012 and FY 2012-2013 through December 2012, revealing tax revenues were down by 9.47 percent.
While retail and restaurant revenues remained roughly the same, construction was down by 17.36 percent, making up about 35 percent of the shortfall, and “another category” was down by 37.2 percent, making up about 45 percent of the shortfall.
Council voted unanimously in favor of recommending approval of a new liquor license for Nancy Franks, agent for Brix Wine & Bistro, which will be opening at the former location of the Bad Donkey at the southwest corner of Cave Creek Road and Tom Darlington Drive.
Frank’s husband Brian was there on her behalf and told council they were closing down Brix Wine Spot in Stagecoach Village completely and would be opening up Brix Wine & Bistro, a completely new concept with more food items.
He said they plan to open sometime around mid-April or early May and they were looking forward to having a much more visible location.
After announcing Ray Arnold had resigned from the planning and zoning commission because he and his wife Shirley were selling their home, Schwan asked council not to fill the vacancy right away. He said no motion was necessary to not take any action and called for a motion to adjourn.
