OCTOBER 6, 2010
Carefree issues
Taste of Cave Creek, et al
By the looks of the developing Your View column, our pictures and story about Carefree’s reluctance to tell us what the six were doing in a clandestine meeting has caused anger in the beautiful little town.
I believe it to be an open meeting law violation to refuse to tell us about that meeting. Even executive sessions require that there is disclosure of what is being discussed. We have already prepared a package of information for three state agencies, Judicial Watch and Goldwater Institute. Included will be a violation of legal advertising, which Carefree has done before. More about that later.
Carefree deserves a decent government and hasn’t had one in the 20 years I have been here. There has always been a shadow government with candidates selected by king-makers. First, for years, it was Art Doyle who wintered here but voted in Kansas City. Next came a hodge-podge but Huber Stevens thinks candidates must kiss his ring.
The power behind the GOBs is Kiwanis. GOBs hold key posts in the Kiwanis organization. Until the public is convinced Kiwanis is not what they claim to be, the town administration will continue to skirt the rules. Kiwanis is a tax-free organization and is supposed to abstain from political activity. They don’t. One candidate for office wrote to the head of Kiwanis International twice without an answer. Is it corrupt all the way to the top?
The below is off the web and is the latest attempt to modify their bylaws:
ARTICLE XXI – NOT-FOR-PROFIT-ORGANIZATION
Section 1. The District is organized and operated exclusively as a not-for profit organization incorporated within the laws of the State of Kansas.
Section 2. The District is organized and operated exclusively for the purpose set forth in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Objects, stated in Article II of these bylaws, shall be accomplished exclusively through charitable and educational activities as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
The IRS has denied Kiwanis International request for 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit determination.
So according to this Kiwanis has lost its not for profit status. Why then is the Carefree Kiwanis still claiming to be not-for-profit? Does that fact affect donations?
Kiwanis Secretary Herb Hyde explained the club has two functions, the Foundation and the Club. The foundation is a 501 c-3, while the Club is a 501c-4 and that is what was denied. I asked him about politics being practiced in Kiwanis, Hyde denies there is any.
We disagree on that.
Taste of Cave Creek
There were all sorts of forecasts of doom regarding the Taste. Two days was too long. It would be too hot. No sponsors will be found. It should be held on a weekend. Volunteers won’t be found. Food vendors wouldn’t show up. None of that was true and it was a smashing success.
Except for a few issues the public sentiment was a roaring and thankful approval. Linda Bentley’s article will provide the statistics but there were several thousand people that showed up to eat, drink, and learn cooking techniques, listen to music and above all to meet neighbors and develop new friendships.
And who was behind this magic event? Somehow, while keeping up with busy town affairs, it was our own Town Manager Usama Abujbarah!
I admit to mixed emotions about the town running an event. On the other hand they haven’t tried to shove a stupid logo nor even stupider slogan on anyone. Did the event remind you that some “civilians” want us to believe we are “perfectly uncivilized?” People at this event were virtually glowing like the three balloons on the Bob Kite property. I say go somewhere else to find uncivilized, you won’t find it here.
I have yet to find anyone who didn’t enjoy every moment of the well-planned and executed event. There were a few complaints about heat. Talk to God about that, it comes with the territory.
Usama and his team are already seeking improvements to be made. Please send Letters to the Editor or Your View to express your opinion.
By the way, the town staff, on a four day week to conserve cash, all were volunteers. Thank them for that.
A letter to the editor by Gary Kiernan was on point about Usama once again giving a booth to Greg Smith, a CCUSD kiss ass and now a greenie as well. Smith had a group of school kids wearing LearnYES Politcal Action Committee yellow T-shirts as so-called volunteers. It sounds as if the volunteering was all about LearnYES.org, the schools attempt to preserve education funding. I believe their attendance at the Taste and their actions there were illegal. We are seeking legal support of our contention.
This is the second year that school district politics were promoted at a town event and doubtless an illegal presence and actions at a town sponsored gathering.
Another controversy was the inclusion of out of town businesses. It is Abujbarah's contention, interestingly, that Cave Creek is really the 140 square miles of CCUSD coverage. No way! Cave Creek is Cave Creek and neither the post office nor the school district can change that. He maintains it increases the number of people who attend. Isn’t it exposure for the local restaurants we are trying to achieve with three percent taxes for each sale?
Hopefully these issues will be ironed out before the next Taste.
Early results showed the Buffalo Chip had the most sales, the brand new Cave Creek Smokehouse (formerly Silver Spur) next and in third place, Cody’s.
Both the owner of Buffalo Chip, Larry Wendt and Abujbarah note the three “winners” were knowledgeable event professionals. They argued running a restaurant is one thing and running an event is another.
Good work by many people. Congratulations!
