CAREFREE – Councilmen Jim Van Allen and Mike Farrar each pulled an item from the Feb. 7 consent agenda.
Van Allen questioned a payment on the check register to Ray Villafane in the amount of $11,666 for the sand sculpture event.
He said he was under the impression they were paying Villafane $37,500 quarterly up to $150,000.
Town Administrator Gary Neiss explained it was a deposit toward the quarterly payment needed by Villafane to secure materials and equipment and reassured Van Allen it was not in addition to the quarterly payment.
Farrar questioned the road closures associated with the Thunderbird Artists’ 24th Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival the weekend of Nov. 3 – 5.
Farrar said the road closures virtually block all access for residents coming from the north and east to get to Bashas’ and the post office.
Peterson suggested tabling the item until after council reviews its policies on festivals.
Council voted unanimously to table the item.
During Call to the Public, Robert Jacobson, who said he was a 20-year resident, told council he has contacted the town before on the issue of dangerous road conditions in the vicinity of Tom Darlington Drive and Cave Creek Road but nothing has come of it.
He said since the bike lane project was completed the undersized medians and oversized trees have created road safety hazards.
Jacobson also commented about poor road signs.
When Peterson suggested he contact the town to set up a meeting, Jacobson said he has tried.
Jaconson said he contacted ADOT, which indicated there was money available.
Neiss explained he has tried to set up meetings with Jacobson but Jacobson wanted ADOT there as well but ADOT declined since it has no jurisdiction over the town’s roads since the bike lane project was completed.
Peterson acknowledged they have Jacobson’s phone number and promised he would receive a call to set up a meeting.
Tom Fiedler, a resident of Canyon Creek Estates passed out a map to council members and said he too has traffic safety concerns along the stretch of Cave Creek Road from Carefree Highway to Canyon Creek Circle and asked the town if it could reduce the speed limit.
Fiedler claimed the 45 MPH speed limit is unsafe especially since the addition of the bike path.
Stating the area is dark with no street lighting, Fiedler also said he was not advocating lighting.
He said street lights, a traffic signal or stop signs would help but felt simply reducing the speed limit would help make it safer.
Neiss said a few years Traffic Engineer Paul Basha addressed council on speed limits and told them artificially reducing the speed limit does not reduce speed, especially if drivers don’t find the artificially reduced speed limit reasonable.
Farrar asked how many accidents there have been along that stretch over the last five to 10 years.
Peterson asked MCSO Capt. Kip Rustenburg if she knew.
Rustenburg said she has that information on her desk but didn’t know off the top of her head. She noted there have been accidents at the intersection of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway but didn’t recall any along the stretch of road in question.
Peterson asked if she would bring the town whatever data she had on accidents.
The next agenda item called for an appointment to fill the vacancy on the planning and zoning commission created by Michael Krahe’s election to town council.
After soliciting citizens to apply for the post, Peterson said they received applications from six well-qualified people.
Actually, he said they received seven. However the seventh one, which Peterson said was also highly qualified, was submitted after the deadline.
Peterson said the last time they had an opening on the planning commission they only had one applicant.
He lamented, despite all six applicants being very good people, they only had one seat.
Peterson mentioned a variety of other areas citizens could participate and be involved with the town and hoped all those not appointed would volunteer in one or more of those areas.
Applicants Steve Hatcher, Gary Hayward, Joe Devito, Heather Burgett and Ralph Ferro each spoke briefly about their backgrounds.
Applicant Elena Pavlova was not present.
Peterson proposed appointing Burgett to the vacancy with DeVito to serve as an alternate and work with the town in planning and stay up to speed on what is going on.
Farrar asked if, as an alternate, another vacancy came up on the commission if it would automatically go to DeVito.
Peterson said it would.
Neiss was aked if DeVito could fill in for a commissioner that was absent.
Neiss said he could not and would only become a commissioner if a vacancy opened up.
Councilman Gene Orrico asked DeVito and the other applicants if they were interested in participating as discussed.
All appeared to be amenable.
Council voted unanimously to appoint Burgett to the commission with DeVito as an alternate.
Council voted unanimously to approve an $18,100 contract plus 10 percent contingency with Architect Mike Uhler of Kenneth C. Bartels and Associates, Inc. to design the tenant improvements for the new town council chambers located at 33 Easy Street.
Aside from being a Carefree resident, Neiss said Uhler specializes in public facilities and has worked with the town before.
Uhler designed the Carefree fire station, tenant improvements to 8 Sundial Circle where town hall is located and the conceptual layout for 33 Easy Street.
Once the plans are completed, Neiss said they will put the job out for bids with the expense budgeted over two budget years.
The timeline, which Neiss said was conservative, should have council in its new chambers for the September 2017 meeting.
The town will be holding a workshop at 6 p.m. on Feb. 28 to review the town’s financial history and discuss strategies for the future in the Mesquite Room at the Holland Center. Citizens are encouraged to attend.
