Inflation, capital repairs among top concerns
On July 14, the Sedona City Council voted 6-0 to approve the annual service provider contracts for the next three years. Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella was present at the meeting but did not vote on the motion.
The approved contracts were: $1,058,963 for Community Library Sedona, $342,825 for the Sedona Community Center, $323,127 for the Humane Society of Sedona, $289,000 for Sedona Recycles, $200,000 for the Sedona Historical Society, $130,000 for Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition and the first contract for $135,000 for Hope House of Sedona, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing to local homeless families.
Additionally, one-time funding of $150,000 to the library for capital projects, $75,000 for the Sedona Community Center and $25,000 for the Sedona Historical Society was approved.
The contracts are to assist the organizations provide services that the city does not provide or to bolster organizations that provide a public benefit.
“Inflationary escalators will be added to the contract amount at the beginning of each fiscal year starting in FY28 using the Bureau of Labor Statistics … capped at 5% annually to insulate the city from risk of inflation increasing significantly beyond our forecasted assumptions during that timeframe,” the council packet reads. “Additionally, all contracts contain language that makes funding contingent on the availability of funds as provided in the city’s annual budget and the ultimate realization of budgeted revenues being received by the city.”
Community Library Sedona
For its Fiscal Year 2024-25, the library had a door count of 135,001, with 192,362 items checked out, 1,274 programs and a program attendance of 25,076. In Fiscal Year 2023-24 it had a door count of 108,289, with 175,458 items checked out, 1,191 programs with a program attendance of 21,104. And in Fiscal Year 2022-23 a door count of 110,304, 122,120 items checked out, with 810 programs and a program attendance of 20,316.
“The most significant challenge facing CLS is funding stability,” library staff wrote in the application. “Our operating budget includes staffing, programming and collections, utilities, and maintenance. We do not know from year to year if Coconino County will continue with its current rate of funding, and we do know that Yavapai County funding is tenuous, at best.”
Sedona Community Center
The Sedona Community Center anticipates in Fiscal Year 2026 it will deliver 22,366 meals to resident seniors’ homes, after it delivered 21,292 in Fiscal Year 2025, 18,335 in 2024 and 18,610 in 2023. Additionally, it serves its regular meals at the community center with a forecasted 4,966 meals in Fiscal Year 2026, with 4,203 in Fiscal Year 2025, 3,573 in Fiscal Year 2024 and 3,854 in Fiscal Year 2023.
“We are amid the ‘Silver Tsunami’ and will be faced over the coming years with an ever increasing demand for services for the senior population,” community center staff wrote. “The United States is adding 12,000 people/day to the 65 and over population. … As the cost of medical care, food and housing continue to increase, the seniors will need more support with vital services that we provide.”
Additionally, the center cited a 20% increase in its food costs and said it anticipates the cost will continue to rise. It requested an increase of $80,000 in the city’s annual contribution. Over the last three years, it has spent $40,000 on a new roof, $30,000 in plumbing repairs and $20,000 on its HVAC system.
One-time spending of $75,000 was approved, which will be prioritized to build an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp from the backyard of the center to the building; the current estimated cost is “at least $50,000,” according to Executive Director Marjorie Harris. Any excess funds will likely go toward installing mini splits to help cool the main dining area.
Humane Society of Sedona
The Humane Society of Sedona is celebrating its 60th year with a total estimated annual budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 of $2,023,656. It has 15 full-time and 17 part-time employees, and two annual contractors and two short-term contractors, along with its cadre of 158 volunteers who donated nearly 19,000 hours of volunteer service.
Over the course of the previous service provider contract, a total of 649 animals were adopted out in 2023, 499 in 2024 and 487 last year. Over that time, the number of animals surrendered had a slight decline from 256 in 2023, to 236 in 2024 and 237 in 2025.
Within the next few years, the shelter also anticipates it will have to replace its HVAC system, and inflationary costs have also been a challenge; the current daily cost of care per animal is $63 a day.
Sedona Recycles
“The most significant challenges facing Sedona Recycles are historically low commodity prices for recyclable materials and the ongoing volume of contamination, particularly plastics, received daily at the recycle center,” the nonprofit’s application reads. “Together, these challenges substantially limit earned revenue while simultaneously increasing operational costs.”
Among Sedona Recycles’ cited accomplishments over the last three years are a leased forklift and new commercial driver’s license driver Jimmy Turk in 2023; hiring Education & Outreach staffer Francisca Alvarado; a revamped website; and a new Excel baler in late 2025 for $340,000.
A separate $50,000 earmarked for Sedona Recycles is in the city’s contingency that may be used to replace its equipment at the discretion of City Manager Anette Spickard.
“Council wanted to ensure that Sedona Recycles had funding available should they need it but did not want to simply replenish their reserves,” Deputy City Manager Barbara Whitehorn wrote.
Sedona Historical Society
Attendance at the Sedona Historical Society’s Museum in Jordan Historical Park — including admission, tours, events and lectures — rose from about 11,000 in 2022 to 21,511 in 2024, then dipped slightly to 20,721 in 2025. Its annual budget has risen because of the community service provider contract and diversifying and growing its revenue stream from $258,000 in 2023, to $358,166 in 2024, $411,700 in 2025 to $503,550 in 2026.
“In 2023, [Sedona Historical Society] requested, and was approved for, $150,000 in city funding,” museum staff wrote. “That figure represented nearly 60% of SHS’s 2023 budget. Over the course of our current three-year [community service provider] contract, the city’s contribution has grown 11% to $167,050, while at the same time SHS’ budget has nearly doubled to over $500,000. The city’s contribution now accounts for less than one third of SHS annual revenue.”
One-time funding of $25,000 for improvements to the Cooks Hill Cemetery were approved, including new fencing on the north and east side of the cemetery, “and possibly a wall on the south side,” Executive Director Nate Meyers said.
Meyers said a timeline has not yet been set for the public safety wall to prevent museum guests from falling into the wash on the property’s north end; the wall will be constructed by the city.
In the coming years, the historical society staff anticipates that parking at the museum will be challenged by the construction of the nearby Jordan Lofts, eliminating some of its overflow parking. The construction of the new Sedona Fire District Station 1 will also eliminate city Parking Lot 1.
Hope House of Sedona
Families housed in Hope House grew from two in 2023 to seven in 2024 and six in 2025, while exits to permanent housing climbed from 79% to 82% to 100%. Hope House provided 2,249 nights of safe sleep and 6,747 meals in 2025. It’s currently planning a second on-site house to serve four more families.
Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition
Over the three-year funding term, VVCC anticipates it will provide 14,000 trips for seniors to get to healthcare appointments, grocery trips and social gatherings with its driver service.
“Over the past three years, VVCC has experienced a rapidly growing need for long-distance trips to obtain medical services,” according to its application. “Now, approximately 25% of all trips are to health care specialty providers in Phoenix and Prescott. Transportation is the costliest service VVCC provides, with an annual cost of approximately $1.1 million.”
Also among the consent items approved during the meeting were Monique Coady as the interim city attorney and a three-year contract with Tourism Economics to use the Symphony Intelligence Platform at a cost not to exceed $200,000.
Editor’s Note: Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella was present at the July 14 meeting but did not vote on the motion. An earlier version said she was absent.
