Dear Don,
It has been several months or should I say more then 6 months since I wrote to the Sonoran News as I felt as an ex-council member I needed to allow the new Council under Mayor Bunch to build their own identity.
Well I am now back and feel it is time I added my voice to your amazing reporter Linda Bentley’s article where she reported her and many in the towns displeasure with what has become a piece of trash in our Town Core. Yes I am speaking of the atrocity of the fake Petrified Stone Quarry (Yes thats my nickname for it) that is a terrible blithe in our Historic Core.
I have heard all the lame responses of the owner and the new owners of what was once the original Cave Creek School and the only School in town when I went to Cave Creek School where 1st through 8th grade were held with the iconic Jim Heard, Tony Morice and Jean Foster two of which have left our world to be with God. Tony in a terrible crash that I was the responder on as a Firefighter/Paramedic for my then employer Rural/Metro. The accident (had a major fire and no way out for Tony at Lone Mountain and Cave Creek road then 1 lane in each direction. He passed instantly but was a major blow to me as he was the best of the best in caring for and educating each of us one on one. Then Jean Foster who directed our music drama program now gone from Cancer. Oh, and Jim Heard who went on to be the best principle Cave Creek School ever had.
Why bring this up you ask? For good reason as the dump transfer station on Carefree Highway is beautiful gem when compared to this non compliant trash heap in the middle of our pride and joy the Historic Town Core we all so cherish. First, they put up that circus tent most without a proper and required plan approved by our town staff, crickets from P&Z and a council I supported who left this happen.
With the construction, if you call it that, on the original Cave Creek School it is a slum looking place in the middle of our beautiful town.
First and foremost, the so called art and rock location is appalling beyond belief. Fines should have been issued and the site closed while all correct paperwork was obtained. What was temporary will be permanent as its cheep to use a tent and trash the town core.
Second, yea there is a zoning hearing scheduled for the entire property but work goes on like there are no rules or regulations that must be followed but who cares they broke those rules and why change now?
When I filled in to complete the term of a council member who resigned, I being honest and someone true to my word, did not run for the seat I filled. Mistake? Yes! Reason I promised I would not and now I kick myself everyday as I would have been a thorn in these properties sides during entire process.
This property is zoned at highest level in the Commercial zooming of our town zoning regulations. How would I know this? I was on Planning Commission when we updated all areas of regulation in our town and on Council during approval of these guidelines.
I am beyond disappointed in our Council with Mayor Ernie Bunch, who I still support and his council for allowing this mess and junkyard to exist.
I am fired up and I will not go unheard as I am glad to be a thorn in the side of our elected officials. We developed a town plan which has been tossed out the window by those in office now. Our town core has changed forever as all the new condos and projects show no signs of remaining our prized Western Style for the Town Core.
I feel tricked as a citizen and as a a past council member. If I had my decision to make over I would have run to protect my town. We are back to mistake after mistake with no one protecting our zoning as expected. Lets get my friend Adam out there doing his job and pressuring these so called businesses to follow the rules.
Maybe sometime we can get a council that will follow the rules and force businesses to do the same. Yes maybe a pipe dream but we have some good members on this council along with a good Mayor so lets do something before it is to late if that ship hasn’t already sailed.
Save our Town Core first and then I can suggest my next idea that the time has come for our town to look at managing our own Fire Depatment or Contracted Service with agencies already in place. Rural Metro or the excellent department to our west Daisy Mountain. We need to control our destiny as I along with many others are tired of paying subscriptions when we deserve a master contract that is fair and vetted transparently unlike the one 5 years ago where sealed envelopes were shared with one of the bidders. But lets save that for a separate day as our beautiful core is dying and it needs all of us to put pressure on the developers though our Council. We must rise up as citizens and put out foot down to destroying our historic town core.
My Best Regards,
John Ford
Cave Creek
