Tuesday night’s Carefree Town Council meeting was bittersweet, but fitting. I attended my final council meeting voting on the same piece of property that I voted on my first council meeting in 2018.
In between, there were many triumphs that benefited the town, and I’m confident I leave this position better than how I found it. Much was accomplished and I pass the baton to the next set of volunteers.
I’m grateful to the amazing staff, led by Town Administrator Gary Neiss, Greg Crossman who handles our “liquid gold,” in the Carefree Water Company, and to say goodbye to our exceptional Town Clerk and many other hat-wearer, Kandace French-Contreras. We have the best Economic Development Director in Steve Prokopek, an awesome town planner in Stacey Bridge-Denzak, our Town Accountant in Jim Keen, the best Code-Enforcer and fellow Sun Devil “Dennis the Menace” Randolph, and our incredible Maintenance team, led by the best in the business, Travis Johnson. Communications Director Madysin Garrett is a rising star.
I’m proud of the friendships I developed over the years with council members: Steve Hatcher, Tony Geiger, Cheryl Kroyer, and my best friend on the council who retires at the same time as me: Mike Johnson. Thank you Mayor Les Peterson for taking me on, being patient with me, teaching me how to handle this role (as well as your advice when I was President of the Cave Creek Museum) with grace. Thank you to my consigliere, Ralph Fero. You helped me navigate through a lot and building relationships. Thanks Lyn and Herb Hitchon. You always know what advice I need, when I need it.
Thank you to those that helped me along the way that are no longer here: the late Honorable Vice Mayor Lloyd Meyer and his invaluable advice on the water consolidation project, helping me gain a greater understanding of the history of the project going back to 2006, and my special friendship with the late Honorable Councilman Arthur Gimson, whose breakfast meetings were invaluable to me. After the 2020 election, a popular resident and council candidate that did not win a seat, walked up to us at our final breakfast and asked Arthur if he voted for him. Arthur replied that he did not. The man asked Arthur why. Arthur said: “because you changed.” The man thanked Arthur and walked away. That stayed with me from that day on. Arthur then handed me a slip of paper at our last meeting in 2021 (he passed away soon after). I carry that slip of paper to this day.
As for me, I still live here, first house built in town (thank you to my good friends Gerry and Leslie Jones for building an amazing home), my wife Cheryl and I will be walking Snoopy and Toby through the garden nightly, enjoying our kids: Noah, Matthew, and Sophie, and trying to be a support for my 89 year old dad and my mom, who unfortunately is losing a long ugly battle to cancer and is receiving hospice services. My folks need me now more than the town does.
Good luck, Mayor Crane. You’ve been doing this long enough and should know that you cannot please everyone. You have to make sure when your head hits the pillow at night, you know you did the right thing that day for the town.
To the incoming council– be transparent and be truthful. Silence is golden and make sure you understand an issue before you speak on it.
Thank you, neighbors, for your continued support.
Vince D’Aliesio
Proud Carefree Resident
