The League of Women Voters Northern Arizona chapter hosted Sedona City Council candidates for their second forum during this election season.
With voter registration closing in the next week and the elections coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 2, LWVNAZ hosted the forum with two questions about growth in Sedona and tourism concerns in the city and surrounding areas, followed by questions submitted by the public.
Both candidates Brian Fultz and Jon “J.T.” Thompson focused on the legislative issues and political contracts that affect Sedona’s tourism, particularly Senate Bill 1350 from 2016 restricting the ability to regulate short-term rentals, and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau’s tourism management.
“I think we should want traditional lodging, that is hotels, motels and real bed and breakfast to be healthy,” Fultz said. “They are playing by the rules established by the city for zoning, health and safety, parking nuisances and so on, not like over-occupied [short-term rentals] …. They are the cause of our population decline, loss of rental housing and they led to more congestion.”
“I want to support the Sustainable Tourism Plan revision. It should identify visitor capacity levels that support the welfare of both residents and businesses. And then I want to find only those marketing activities that support this capacity,” Thompson said. “I want to promote housing, transit and other policies that support a naval workforce that feels part of our community. Five years from now, I think the tourism bureau is going to be in great shape and our transit program is going to be performed very well.”
Meeanwhile candidates Melissa Dunn and Jennifer Strait focused more on the community’s need to fix tourism issues with residents in mind for the future of the city.
“This is not about whether tourism is the right thing or the wrong thing, it just can’t be the only thing,” Dunn said. “We have to have something else in our little bag of tricks to help diversify so Sedona remains viable as a community. [We] still need income coming in so the city can run. A city needs enough money to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its residents.”
“For those solutions regarding STRs, ATVS, as well as green spaces, I’m definitely in agreement for that. But then from a systems design point, I definitely am interested in keeping jobs here and less government,” Strait said. “Take for instance, the transportation system, it’s really large. What would it look like if more residents had taxis and provided the jobs so it’s more independent?”
Many of the questions and candidates’ answers touched on environmental issues and the city’s Climate Action Plan as well. But one of the most talked-about issues for residents right now, candidates shared their thoughts on Northern Arizona Healthcare’s service in the Verde Valley.
“There’s a five-year lease agreement with the ER here and they’re already into two-and-a-half years of that,” Dunn said. “It’s not easy to bring people in when you don’t have houses for them … You have to solve the housing problem along with the health care problem. NAH said that they were not going to build housing on that 34 acres that they have behind the ER, that nobody wants to live where they would work, but they’re doing it in Flagstaff. So I don’t know what the difference is, but I like if more residents had taxis and provided the jobs so it’s more independent?”
Many of the questions and candidates’ answers touched on environmental issues and the city’s Climate Action Plan as well. But one of the most talked-about issues for residents right now, candidates shared their thoughts on Northern Arizona Healthcare’s service in the Verde Valley.
“There’s a five-year lease agreement with the ER here and they’re already into two-and-a-half years of that,” Dunn said. “It’s not easy to bring people in when you don’t have houses for them … You have to solve the housing problem along with the health care problem. NAH said that they were not going to build housing on that 34 acres that they have behind the ER, that nobody wants to live where they would work, but they’re doing it in Flagstaff. So I don’t know what the difference is, but I said. “So I think we need to start looking for other possibilities as well as working with them on everything we can.”
“I think it’s time to fish or cut bait with Northern Arizona Healthcare,” Fultz said. “And either they want to be part of this community or they can do us a huge favor and leave and sell us 34 acres of land and let us take care of this ourselves. Because we can solve this. We can create incentives with available land from that 34 years. We certainly can figure out a way to get a stable health care environment of providers in here for us.”
Candidates Scott Moffatt and Pete Furman were missing from this forum; both candidates were out-of-town.
The full recording can be found on LWVNAZ’s youtube channel and website.
