Sedona Chamber Bids Farewell to Director of Finance and Hires New
Sedona, AZ - September 5, 2008 - The Sedona Chamber of Commerce bids farewell to Susan Gugliotta, Director of Finance for the past three years. Susan is moving to California with her husband to pursue new career goals and aspirations. We wish her much happiness in her new adventure.
We welcome to our team our new Director of Finance, Allen Hustead. Allen is a native of Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Public Administration with an Accounting Major. Allen has worked at various corporations in the St. Louis area through which he has gained experience with Human Resources, financial information systems, plans, policies and accounting practices.
Allen came to Sedona nearly ten years ago to satisfy his "red rock fever" and has brought his accounting experience to two large hotel/resort locations. These positions have helped him gain knowledge of the area as well as a familiarization with the tourism industry which will prove most helpful in his new position at the Chamber. Allen is a great addition to the team at the Chamber. As always we will keep you updated on what's happening at your local Chamber of Commerce. For further information please call (928)204-1123.
Sedona, AZ - September 4, 208 - Please join Mayor Rob Adams for lunch and to talk about issues you think are important for the City Council to consider.The first lunch will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 from Noon to 1 p.m. at El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano in Tlaquepaque, 336 S. Hwy 179, Suite A112.This is a no-host lunch and those joining the Mayor will be responsible for their own lunch costs.However, lunch is optional, so feel free to join the informal lunch with the Mayor.
For more information, please call the City Manager's office at 204-7127 or email Alison Zelms, Assistant City Manager at azelms@SedonaAZ.gov.
My Feet Aren't Ugly at the Sedona Library on Sept 5
What: Award-winning author of "My Feet Aren't Ugly: A Girl's to Loving Herself from the Inside Out," Debra Beck will be signing her book and holding a workshop for teens and parents on how teens can start to make better decisions through the use of self esteem. This workshop teaches teenage girls how to love and take care of themselves, so they can start making decisions that are good for them and create a more harmonious life.
When: Friday, September 5th, 2008
Where: Sedona Library
3250 White Bear Rd Sedona, AZ 86336 (928) 282-7714
Time: 4-6PM
Cost: The cost is free and there is no registration required.
About Debra Beck
Award-winning author Debra Beck is a devoted mentor for teenage girls and their parents on issues facing teenage girls today. With 20 years experience in self-development, Debra's life work is helping young girls learn to truly love themselves from the inside out. Debra's first book, "My Feet Aren't Ugly: A Girl's Guide to Loving Herself," has garnered a Moonbeam Bronze Metal Award, USA Book Award, Reader's View Award and a Nautilus Award. Debra is the founding director of Spirited Youth, an organization to help girls in a positive and supportive way. Visit her web site at http:www.myfeetarentugly.com.
Animal Wisdom: Archetypes of Growth & Transformation
Animal Wisdom: Archetypes of Growth & Transformation Intuitive Training Weekend IntensiveOctober 11th & 12th, 10 am - 5 pm both days
$330 (Pre-registration required)Sedona Creative Life Center, Sedona, AZ
In this intuitive development weekend, participants will explore the rich landscape of animal teachings from many cultures. Students will learn to open to their intuition; work with Mother Earth's rhythms; and create conscious relationships with their animal totems. An "animal oracle deck" will serve as a learning tool to facilitate the journey of self-discovery. Meditations, shamanic journeying, and dreams will be explored. For additional information, visit: http://www.sedonacreativelife.com/pre0998.html or to pre-register (highly suggested), visit http://www.sacredspiraldance.com or email info@sacredspiraldance.com.
When I read last week's RRN editorial alleging the public said to the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding workforce housing, "Let them eat cake," I was dismayed the real message delivered by most speakers from the standing-room-only crowd was missed. Was the editor of the Red Rock News at the same meeting? Or was any reporter from Larson Newspapers? Perturbation turned to distress when September 3's paper printed a defense of the editorial in response a letter from Pete Heisinger.
Heisinger's point was the proposed increase in density (from 12 to 20 housing units per acre) may not solve the housing problem, since if built, only 2.8 of the 20 units would be designated "affordable." Essentially 17 or more units per acre would be fair market value, and three (or fewer) "affordable." Heisinger argued the presumption the "affordable" units would solve the housing problem is "anecdotal."
I agree, because no one to date has produced the name of any teacher, firefighter, police officer or medical personnel who would want to live in a 20-unit per acre dwelling.
The argument at the famed P&Z meeting was that the terms "affordable housing" and "workforce housing" are red herrings to lead to increased density. As the Verde Valley Independent reported recently, "The way to increase city revenue is through development."
The citizens of Sedona are very well-informed about the relationship between development and city coffers. The outcry was against density, not against the poor. One hundred people didn't show up begging for Windsong to be torn down. More residents have been involved in rescuing soon-to-be-displaced feral cats than in finding homes for the workers who live there--including our own Housing Commission and newspaper editor!
It has been proposed that if the city really wants to solve the affordable housing problem for workers, instead of solely studying it and talking with developers about incentives, there should be a registry where residents seeking such housing register, and a part-time coordinator assist them by matching their needs with availability on a centralized housing database. We certainly have enough affordable housing right now that with intelligent coordination and the assistance of some volunteers and workforce-concerned businesses, we could put 25-30 families in such housing in the next 14 months.
The housing talk, however "carefully studied" you want to characterize it, has been just that: talk, no walk. The Commission has worked very hard, but the 2003 Council did not task them to actually put any workers into homes or apartments. So they've studied and talked for five years. They deserve a parade - and a break!
The citizens of Sedona aren't saying "Let workers go homeless." We're saying "Take a common sense approach to putting priority workers into dwellings they can afford, on a three-year pilot program, to see whether we can work out the kinks and extend a program to all qualified residents." To begin with, workers should have employment contracts and take financial literacy classes, similar to those in surrounding towns. This can be done now. The partnerships the Housing Commission is developing are years from being built in any significant volume -- if ever.
So we knew what we ere doing when we said, "House them, but not like this!"
Sedona Historical Society Receives Archives Grants
Sedona, AZ - September 3, 2008 - The Sedona Historical Society was recently informed that it has received a grant from the Arizona Historical Society. The grant will be used to insure proper storage of artifacts, documents and photos in the Society's Collections Room.
The grant was given to purchase archival quality storage materials, and to provide materials for long-term storage of parts of the Society's collection of documents and photos while continuing to provide copies for public access. An original set of Sedona's early newspaper, the Hardscrabble News, will be one of the beneficiaries of new storage materials. A full set of this newspaper is not known to be available anywhere else.
Money was also set aside in the grant for the purchase of equipment to transcribe the Society's extensive collection of oral history interviews that are being transferred from tape to electronic media.
The Arizona Historical Society (AHS) is Arizona's oldest historical agency. AHS collects, preserves, interprets, and disseminates the history of Arizona, the West, and northern Mexico as it pertains to Arizona. Besides its collections and museums throughout the state, they provide an outreach service to Arizona historical societies and museums, including a small grant program. The Sedona Historical Society operates the Sedona Heritage Museum on the Jordan Farmstead at 735 Jordan Rd in Uptown Sedona, AZ. The Museum is open daily at 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information about membership, volunteer opportunities or the museum, call 928-282-7038.
Sedona Museum's Fall Arts & Crafts Show Opens Oct 25
Sedona, AZ - September 3, 2008 - Registration for the Sedona Heritage Museum's annual Fall Arts & Crafts Show is now open for new vendors. The show is scheduled for Saturday, October 25th at the Museum in Uptown Sedona from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Remaining spaces are limited and only for artists and craftspeople offering hand-made items.
In past years, local quality artists and craftspeople have displayed for sale their handmade items including jewelry, gourd art, hand painted and hand-made home decor and wearable arts, quilts, glass art, ceramics, artwork, handmade cards and other items. The Museum will have a simultaneous bake sale of homemade goodies. Admission to the show will be free to the public. Vendors appreciate cash or checks.
Registration forms can be mailed to you or picked up at the Sedona Heritage Museum at 735 Jordan Rd. in Uptown Sedona between 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. any day of the week. For more information or to request a registration form, call the Museum at 928-282-7038.
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