editor: fred miller July 30, 2023 #57/July 2023
Hello,
It just keeps on coming....
The State's private school voucher program is slated to cost about $930 million. About $500 million was budgeted; almost a 100% cost overrun. About half of the new enrollees shifted out of public schools. The program director, a right wing zealot, resigned after seven months. As did the associate director. The program has loose controls and is ripe for fraud. Statistics about the program are difficult to come by because of the lax controls and sketchy record keeping. You can be sure we will be hearing about fraud in connection with this republican giveaway.
"“Arizona’s ESA program is the least accountable in the entire country,” said SOS member Lewis. “Public dollars are going to strip mall private schools, popping up with zero accreditation and no requirements that they adhere to curriculum or state standards. In a public school, you need to have all of those things.” "
What is very clear is that money is siphoned away from public schools and that Arizona taxpayers are footing the bill for schooling that used to be paid for by parents. It is truly the privatization of public education.
We recently returned from visits to our family in Colorado. It was a good relaxing trip for us. Wonderful to be among water and trees. Saw a moose in the woods near Blackhawk CO. On the way back down, we took some back highways on the western side of the state that we haven't taken before. River along side the highway for 50 miles. Forests all along the way, views and more views. (Little know fact, many of the north south highways in the western part of the state are wonderful for travel; not much traffic, beautiful mountains, and engaging small towns.) The only real bummer is how much standing dead timber there is. Entire mountainsides far as we could see had rust colored trees standing silently waiting to fall. Since 2000 about 1.9 million acres of timber have been killed due to spruce bark beetle. In Abiquiu, kicked it at the Inn, went to the lake, and went on a tour of Ghost Ranch sites that Georgia O'Keefe painted while in living there. And back to lil house. Charlieparker had a most wonderful time, pampered by our grandson/daughter-even slept with them, playing for three days with another dog. It was a dogs life. A sweet way to spend our 16th anniversary.
If you are interested in off the beaten path traveling, this was our route:
Bisbee>Albuerque Hwy 80-I-10-26-I-25 (In ABQ best western off I-40, dinner at Sawmill-lots of food booths) (6 1/2 hours)
Albuerque to Denver I-25 to 599-84-285 in to Denver. (7 1/2 hours) A wonderful drive
Denver to Montrose I-70 to 133 (stop in Paonia) to 92 to 50 (about 5 hours) Country Lodge on Main for knotty pine splendor
Montrose to Abiquiu Hwy 50-149 (stop in Lake City for southern vittles, and Creede for charm) to 160 to 84 (about 6 hrs) Abiquiu Inn good food, rooms.
Abiuiu to Bisbee 84 to 599 to I-25 to 26 to I-10 to Hwy 80. (8 1/2 hours)
This is a long issue. Prolly should have broken it, but I didn't. Here it is. If you have the fortitude please read what is going with elections related stuff at the County. There are some serious challenges facing our county. You are needed to help do all the myriad things before elections that get people out to vote.
fred
...............BISBEE STUFF................
REGULAR SESSION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL 915 S. TOVREAVILLE ROAD TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023, AT 7:00 PM
Background here: https://www.bisbeeaz.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08012023-451
AGENDA
GENERAL BUSINESS:
1. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Subject to availability of funds.
2. Approval of the Consent Agenda
Approval of the minutes of the Regular Session of Mayor and Council held on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Approval of the Special Event Liquor License Application submitted by Bisbee Coalition for the Homeless for an event to be held at Historic Warren Ballpark located at 99 Arizona Street, on Saturday, November 4, 2023 from 10:00am to 9:00pm; Tony Bedolla, applicant.
Ashlee Coronado, City Clerk
Approval of a Liquor License Application for Screaming Banshee Pizza located at 200 Tombstone Canyon, Bisbee, AZ; Anthony Hernandez, Applicant.
Ashlee Coronado, City Clerk
NEW BUSINESS
3. Discussion and Possible Approval to spend $23,281.00 from American Rescue Plan Act Funds in conjunction with $20,000 grant from SHPO to enter into a contract with Westland Resources for the Warren Historic designation.
Stephen Pauken, City Manager
4. City Manager's Report:
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BISBEE 1000 RACE HAS BEEN SOLD
Wick Communications, parent company of the Herald Review and more than 24 other city and regional papers in several states, has purchased the Bisbee 1000 Race from Bisbee Vogue. No price was disclosed. Francis Wick spoke to the city council about their company's ties to Bisbee historically, during a discussion of a five year special events permit. The five year permit which allows Wick Comm. preference for events during the third weekend of October, was passed by the council. Bisbee Vogue will run the race this year with assistance from Wick. Next year it will be all Wick.
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National Buffalo Soldiers Day Open House A commemoration of the desegregation of the military. Aug 5, 9am to noon, Camp Naco (newell and Wilson/Naco az) Go here for more info: /https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/2022/05/03/camp-naco-is-back-in-the-news/ ........... Aug 6 3-6 at the Bisbee Grand, a new jazz quartet debuting. Local guys that have a ton of experience playing with some big names during their careers. The Humblebees are Lisle Ellis on bass, Kurt Hauser on guitar, Brian Mulllins on Tenor guitar, Dave Jette on drums. Catch em if you can. ......... Cochise County & Borderlands Master Naturalist Program August 8th- December 7th 2023 Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:30-8:30 Learn about hydrology, ecology, geology, botany and more from local experts! Contact us at amie@bisbeesciencelab.org for info and scholarship options Saturday Field Trips to: CHIRICAHUAS, HUACHUCAS, SAN PEDRO, AND MORE 519 W Melody Lane, Bisbee ............. ARTEMIZIA OPENING Gallery 818 August 12 Andrew Benincasa. 818 Tombstone Canyon. Thursday-Sunday 11-4. If you haven't been, it's a good time to check it out 100 works of contemporary art https://www.artemiziafoundation.org/ .............
AHOY MATEYS> PIRATES BE COMIN Bisbee Pirate Weekend Aug 11, 12, 13 Friday...Central school mermaid workshop with Nadia Hagen of Flem Chen, film Saturday...City Park vendors, fashion show, circus, pub crawl, parade, burlesque Sunday....Cos play Info here: https://www.bisbeepirateweekend.com/ Schedule here:https://www.bisbeepirateweekend.com/schedule
.......... Rural Action Advocate Workshop in Sierra Vista Join SOS-AZ, Indivisible, and several more partner organizations to learn about how to advocate for our rights, fully-funded public schools and get better-resourced communities. This FREE event is for organizers and activists in Arizona who want to learn more about messaging, fighting disinformation, the basics of local government, running for office and how to reach out to our rural friends and neighbors. August 26, 3305 Fry 8:30. Info and sign up here: https://www.mobilize.us/azindivisible/event/568921/
............. CLASSES AT LIFELONG LEARNING/COCHISE COLLEGE https://www.cochise.edu/downtown-center/cll/ ............. PROJECT WILDLIFE w/Friends September 1st, 2023 9:00 am 600 East Vista Street in Warren Invite only breakfast for docents for the Bisbee Bloomer Garden Tour . Celebrate Bisbee as a certified COMMUNITY WILDLIFE HABITAT and the 100th Anniversary of the Arizona Wildlife Federation
........... COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR LEASE @ PREMIER ALLIANCE Modern, spacious commercial property located on the campus of nonprofit organization Premier Alliance. 4,600 square feet, utilities included. Building amenities include A/C, fiber optic Internet, full kitchen/break room, and electric vehicle charging stations.For more information, contact Derek, djordan@premieralliances.org ........... ALZHEIMER'S DUE TO INCREASE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS The dreaded memory loss disease is projected to increase from 150,000 to 200,000 cases in the next two years in Arizona. A new study breaks it down by county. (However the study is behind a paywall and I couldn't get specific figures.) But 11-12% of those 65 and over have Alzheimers disease in Cochise County. Black and Hispanic populations over 65 are more likely to contract the disease than the whites population. Two thirds of all cases are women. https://arizonadailystar-az.newsmemory.com/?token=c14381cbed08cbad11da8139f558390c&cnum=c5d5eaf7-a721-ea11-8ce6-90b11c343abd&fod=1111111STD-0&selDate=20230724&licenseType=paid_subscriber& ...........
Marcia Gibbons has put Ransom Ranch up for sale for $279k. The 18 acres has 12 fruit trees, an organic garden that grows flowers and nuts, and a private well. But the showstopper on the property are its three adobe domes.The domes were built by stacking sandbags filled with earth on top of each other, layered with barbed wire for stability in between, and finished with a cement mix. More here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/photos-you-can-own-this-18-acre-property-that-comes-with-three-dome-homes-made-out-of-barbed-wire-and-sandbags-for-279-000/ss-AA1ecJ0x#image=1
........... CALL TO ARTISTS The Bisbee Woman's Club is holding it's 22nd Art Chairs & More, a silent, in person auction, on November 24 & 25, 2023. Paintings, photos, collages, textiles, ceramics, hand-made jewelry, artistically altered furniture etc. are all welcome. Collection of artworks will take place Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at the Greenway School Cafeteria, 98 Cole Ave., in Warren. Work will be accepted from 10 AM to 4 PM. .......... SIGN UP FOR ALERTS This service, powered by AlertSense, allows fire, police and other emergency response agencies to issue emergency alerts to warn citizens of events such as severe weather, fire, flooding, hazardous materials, need for immediate evacuation, civil danger, local area emergencies, and missing persons.If you have not already done so, please register for free Cochise County Emergency Alerts. You can choose whether to get voice or text alerts (or both) on both your landline and/or your cell phone. And can customize it for what kind of alerts https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/?RegionId=1341 ...... Bisbee Enclave is up and running. Beca Reyes, artist and musician is doing it as a public service. Only restaurants/food shops, bars and lodging listed but will soon include shops, galleries, museums, and entertainers. It should be completed, soon. https://bisbeeenclave.com/ ........ INTERNS WANTED AT THE LEGE Get a close look at the inner workings of making sausage in Phoenix https://www.azleg.gov/internship/application/2024_Legislative_Legal_Externship_application.pdf ....... BISBEE MEDIAS MENTIONS No Hope for Bisbee, Man feels sorry for us https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/opinion/stop-look-and-listen-a-memessage-from-pastor-richard-p-carlson/article_5331c728-270b-11ee-9fed-2b768422cdca.html Bisbee Deportation https://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/remembering-bisbee-deportation-1917 The Cave House https://www.the-sun.com/news/8670401/dream-cave-house-rock-stunning-library/ Artemizia Gallery https://boingboing.net/2023/07/20/artemizia-foundation-in-bisbee-arizona-hosts-a-spectacular-collection-of-contemporary-street-and-graffiti-art.html https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/street-art/interview-from-mining-town-to-art-haven-bisbee-is-the-home-of-the-artemizia-foundation/
........... A NEW ZEN MASTER AT THE CENTER Bisbee has a resident Zen master. Who knew? He is the only one in Cochise County and one of three in Southern Arizona.
Although Buddhist 'spiritual masters', are often portrayed as caricatures, some guy looking like Mr. Natural (see Robert Crumb comics) sitting on a mountain precipice pondering the world's problems and coming up with nonsensical proclamations, that's not really the case. Buddhists sometimes describe spiritual practice as “walking the path.” Because the path goes through the unknown territory of human experience, many people find in helpful to have a guide – someone who has walked quite a long way down the path- someone who has looked deeply into what it means to be human. And that is what Barry Briggs the resident Zen master of the Cochise Zen Center, also known as Zen Master Hye Mun, is; a guide.
Briggs received teaching authorization in the Kuam Um school of Zen in 2013 and, after a decade of teaching and helping others, was given “dharma transmission” in April 2023 and became known as Zen Master Hye Mun (“wisdom gate”). Zen Master Hye Mun oversees the practice at Cochise Zen Center. He guides the Sunday morning meditation, chanting, and short discussions. He also is present for Thursday evening meditation via Zoom. Private dharma meetings and learning sessions for kong-an, a traditional training method, are available to regular practitioners. In earlier chapters of his adult life, Briggs lived in Seattle and worked in the computer software and internet industries. Much of his free time was used to explore the Puget Sound area and hike the North Cascade mountains. He has one adult daughter. From 2015-2017 he was the resident teacher at Cambridge Zen Center in Massachusetts, and before moving to Bisbee full time, he traveled around the world teaching, from South Africa to Russia, Alaska to Malaysia, and throughout Central Europe. The Cochise Zen Center, is located at 250 Brewery Av. in Bisbee. It is one of three zen centers in Southern Arizona. They have Sunday morning practice at 9 am, Thursday evening practice at 7pm (zoom only). For more information: https://www.cochisezencenter.org/ For some history…The Kuam Um school of Zen is a relatively new school begun in 1972 with 17 centers in the United States and others around the world. Kuam Um is based on ancient Korean Seon (Zen) tradition. Buddhism was borne in India in the 5th century BC. As it has spread throughout the world three major schools have emerged although the tenets and foundation of Buddhism are similar in all three. What generally characterizes the differences is the form-the environment and circumstances of the practitioners, in various countries. Of the two most well known forms in the US, Zen is part of Mahāyāna, (the Great Vehicle) the largest school, and Tibetan Buddhism is part of Vajrayāna, or Diamond Vehicle, the smallest of the schools. Theravāda, the school of the Elders, is the third and most orthodox of the schools. .......... Coming Soon (courtesy of This Week in Bisbee): Blues in Bisbee Sept 9 https://bluesinbisbee.com/ Mineshaft Gay Men's Weekend Sept 22 https://www.mineshaftweekend.com/ Bisbee 1000 Oct 21 http://bisbee1000.org/ BRATS parade Oct 28 https://www.facebook.com/events/2147085038812577 Mariachi Festival Nov 4 https://www.bisbeemariachifestival.com/ More City Events including Copper Queen Library education and wellness events for adults and kids: https://www.bisbeeaz.gov/2351/Events QUOTE...American icon, Mark Twain, once put it, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”
...............BISBEE ECONOMY................
Screaming Banshee Pizza has been sold by Carrie Blankenship. The new owner, Anthony Hernandez, has applied for a liquor license. Operations will remain the same initially. I was told Mr. Hernanez has roots in Bisbee, but now lives in Tucson. .......... A new store run by Bisbee retail veterans is opening in September. La Dulce Vida will be in the 24 Main Street, building that formerly house the Atemisia gallery. The store will feature a curated collection of art, antiques, jewelry, collectibles, imports (new and vintage), and gifts. They will be open 7 days a week. Open 10 - 5 Monday thru Thursday. Open late on Friday & Saturday evenings until 7.Partners are: Kathy (Finders Keepers), Juliette (Ego, Red Light, and Acacia), Jeri (The Gift Basket). For more info: LaDulceVidaBisbee@gmail.com
.............Story Cannabis will be opening soon in the former cannabis shop on Naco hwy. Two weeks ago they began seeking workers; a manager, full and part time retail associates. They are expanding rapidly and in fact they are looking for workers in most of their stores.They have 4 Maryland locations, 3 Ohio locations, 4 Arizona +2 more soon https://storycannabis.com/
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Copper Queen Community Hospital will receive a $9.9 million grant from the USDA to construct a 27,000-square-foot addition — the largest amount awarded among $129 million in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants.
The new addition will house operating rooms, pre- and post-operative areas, a sterile processing area, and a new inpatient beds unit. Once completed, services will relocate from the current facility, and department areas will be repurposed for outpatient behavioral health care with tele-psych, specialty physician offices, expanded pharmacy, and an educational and training center for staff.
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HOUSE SALES
There was 12 house sales in June for a total of $3,026,000. Sales were spread throughout the districts of Bisbee. The first six months of this year 50 houses were sold for $12,826, 699. The first six months of 2022, 96 houses were sold for $22,251,348. Among other factors this seems to reflect the national slowdown of sales of existing home because of mortgage rates. Although there are many factors affecting the housing market in Bisbee that differentiate from larger cities. For every new owner, there was a seller.
Address List Price/Sale Price/Days on Market
2405 S. Bowers 89,900/$75,000/222
788 W. Hwy 92 $159,000/$110,000/155
138 B Opera Dr. $149,000/16
30 Hillside $159,000/$157,000/53
112 Mohave $250,000/$235,000/94
52 Main St. B $265,000/$240,000/160
22 Gardner $255,000/43
213 15th Terrace $298,000/$290,000/24
400 O’Hara $359,000/$345,000/167
137 Black Knob View $375,499/$353,000/78
313 Hovland $379,000/$374,000/57
61 B Shearer $443,000k/24
BUILDING PERMITS
The construction/remodel segment of the economy is doing quite well. In the first six months of the year there has been $3,369,934 worth of work done on Bisbee remodels, upgrades, and maintenance. About $200k more than the same period last year and about a half million more than the first six months of 2021, the middle of the pandemic. The is money mostly spend in Bisbee, although some building materials come from elsewhere.
SALES TAXES ( for April actual sales, not adjusted for inflation)
There were substantial fall offs in sales taxes in April across the board with the exception of food for home consumption and internet sales.
A steep drop in the 5% bed tax from the preceding month, $19,195/$27,332 was the lowest total in seven months
Restaurant/bar sales were down by about $7,000, and that too was the lowest total in seven months.
Retail dropped $20,000 over last month, ($108,681/$129,995.
Internet sales rose about $6,000 to the highest level since January/23, while home food saw a $8,000 rise. and was the second best total in seven months.
Too soon to tell whether that will bode bad for Bisbee in the long run. fyi, a friend sent me a photo of a billboard in Toronto featuring Bisbee. Your tourist dollars at work.
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BORDER CROSSINGS
By car …truck…ped
NACO 443k peds
Oct 27.2…228…57.2
N 26.3…252…55.7
D 27.8…214…58.1
J 26….235…54.3
F 24.1…209…49.1
M 27.1…278…56.8
A 27….227…59.4
M 28.0…284….60.5
June 26.3…241…53.5
Douglas had a total of 2.8m peds, 1.2 cars. 20.6 trucks
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ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
Armed Forces Tribute Bikes
Jay Allen
21 Erie St.
4 Good Impact
Tom Nelson
221 Park
Cactus Comics
Eric Shissiak
...............COCHISE COUNTY................
I've been harping on the county elections related stuff for several months. I have recently been joined in a few public opinion articles and letters by researcher Ali Morse. Researching and tracking down this information is time consuming and often consists of putting in a request and waiting days for the information. It means looking at minutes of past meetings trying to piece together a paper trail. As Ali, who has been doing extensive research on various aspects of County functioning has found, there are trails that sometimes lead to dead ends, often nothing untoward, or occasionally, gold.
We have had a persistent problem of getting information from some of the people involved. Ms. Morse, particularly, as well as myself have made several email queries to Recorder Stevens, County Attorney McIntyre, County Administrator Richard Karwaczka and received no responses. While we know that administrators have prescribed work to do, a small part of that is to be responsive to legitimate requests about information they possess. The three mentioned have not. (Perhaps this will be remembered at election time. Two of these people are now contending for re-election, the third, Mr. Karwaczka is running to be a judge. )
On the other hand I wouldn't paint all county employees and administrators with the same brush; the former head of HR, Ms. Oduno was helpful, as was Ms. Coppola in Procurement, as well as people responding to public records requests the the CG's office. (There is a backlog of more than 100 requests, when requesting a record you will go to the end of the line.)
Ms. Morse has done a huge amount of research. I've been fortunate to partner with her, She is a good communicator, and has been easy to work with. Between the two of us, much of it her work, we have identified three main areas of questions.
1. The grant for $1million dollars for “ballot fraud countermeasures" awarded to the county. We have laid out a timeline for this grant and the problems with with Recorder David Stevens cavalier treatment of the .
2. The hiring of Bob Bartlesmeyer for elections director. We have publicly raised a number of questions about this hire.
3. The seemingly incompetence performance of their duties of Recorder Stevens and elections director Bartlesmeyer.
(These are in addition to tracking the numerous lawsuits around various election issues. There have been eight so far. County taxpayers have paid more than $300,000 with some attorney bills not yet filed.
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1. WHO IS RUNNING THE COUNTY There has been no evidence of problems with ballot paper itself in our county, our state, and our nation. This is a solution looking for a problem. And it is costing far more than the $1million for this grant. The entire episode, the gestation of the grant in the legislature, the state offering the grant, county acceptance, and mechanics of getting it implemented is based on that glaring fallacy. It is a complete waste of taxpayer money and indicative of the cavalier way the administrators and politicians treat our money. We expect competence, we don't get it. Some of the anomalies are: Supes, on Steven's urging, accepted the grant on an email-not a letter with terms. Stevens issued a purchase order for paper and a roller rather than an RFP. (This is relevant because an RFP assures the county that they will get the best terms/price for what is offered. We have no way of knowing whether the county paid too much.) The grant contract was supposed to end 3/30/23. There is no letter of extension.It is 'in the works.' It has been on the supe agenda twice and twice tabled because Stevens has failed to provide proper paperwork. It would seem that the grant has run out. However an RFP detailing the specifications for ' ballot fraud prevention countermeasures' was issued in April, the deadline for the proposal submission was shortened once and then extended back to the original date. Two companies were apparently awarded the contract. (from the grant that has supposedly expired.) One company, Authentix, that said they had experience in the area they were bidding on, has no experience. Election conspirator Mark Finchem has ties to the company. Finchem also established the Elections Fairness Institute, chartered in 2018, with himself as CEO. David Stevens is a director, as is Sondra Duncan, Matthew McKean-both of Maricopa Co, and Heather Hobbs of Hempstead TX. This is the historical timeline 2021 - Election conspiracy peddler Mark Finchem, when in the lege, rails against ballots and proposes money to make the paper 'fraud proof' 2022 - $1 million dollars is allocated for 'fraud prevention measures' for ballots 10/1/22 to 4/30/23 – term (start & end dates), according to Grant Agreement 10/12/22 – Award letter email from Mike Gurr, ADOA Grants Administrator to Recorder Stevens. According to email, grant performance period is 10/1/23 to 3/30/23. 10/25/23 – Stevens presents an email to the board at reg. BOS meeting. He has no other paperwork than the short email from Mike Gurr. 11/22-1/23 Sometime in this time periond David Stevens issued a purchase order, not an RFP for paper and a 'dandy roller'. 1/18/23 – Invoice from Runbeck for $187,532.65 was sent to the county 2/8/23 – Stevens to Gurr: Assets purchased (Dandy Roll & paper) will not be returned to the state or Cochise County? They are expendable? 2/9/23 – Gurr asks Stevens for Scope of Work or quote from vendor. Stevens sends him Runbeck invoice. 2/16/23 – Payment of Runbeck Invoice by Cochise County (#60333) for Invoice # 01182023 (created by user Carmen S. Serrano) 2/16/23 – John Boswell (Cochise County Grant Administrator) to Mike Gurr (cc: Stevens & Monica Miranda, Cochise County Finance Director): PO has been completed to purchase ballot paper and Dandy Roll that will be property of vendor. Is this allowable? 2/23/23 – Gurr to Boswell (cc: Stevens & Miranda) requests further info on Dandy Roll. Says program has due date of 5/1/23 but working to extend the date. 2/23/23 – Jim Suver (VP of Business at Runbeck) to Stevens – explanation and illustration of custom-made Dandy Roll. 3/3/23 – Mike Gurr to Stevens (cc: Boswell) invoice provided would be an allowable expense. [AFTER invoice already paid on 2/16/23] Suggests retaining the equipment and if election law permits, selling equipment afterwards. Will provide update on grant extension at later date. 3/16/23 – Stevens to Gurr: Attached is payment to Runbeck. What is next for me to do? 3/17/23 – documents created for RFP posting: Contract Specifications, Scope of Work, Submission Guidelines & Requirements, and Terms & Conditions. 3/20/23 – RFP created & posted to Cochise County website. (Questions due by 4/25/23 & Closes 5/11/23) 3/28/23 – Questions & Corresponding Answers document created 3/29/23 – Proposal Submission Extension Doc created 3/29/23 – Addendum 1 created 4/5/23 – RFP submission deadline 4/11/23 – Gurr to Stevens (cc: Boswell) We have received payment request and are currently processing distribution through our accounting team. Requests letter confirming that report due this month will not be completed and need until Aug/Sept to issue report. Still working on getting extension through legislature. 4/25/23 – ProVote proposal submitted 5/1/23 – Extension of Proposal Deadline created 5/11/23 – Authentix proposal submitted 7/11/23 – Stevens presents proposals from Authentix and ProVote to BOS. Mentions Runbeck payment in passing but did not go through RFP process as other 2 vendors did. 7/11, 7/25 measure tabled. A bit more background https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/cochise_county/1-million-grant-approved-for-testing-new-ballot-paper/article_ec8231d4-5613-11ed-8ace-1f186b76b91d.html <><> 2. APPARENT INCOMPETENCE IN ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT (a jointly authored letter to the ed published in the HR) A recent successful lawsuit to invalidate a petition seeking to repeal a water initiative exposed basic incompetence on the part of two Cochise County administrators. The suit, filed on behalf of residents in the Douglas Active Management Area (AMA) revealed that County Recorder/Interim Elections Director David Stevens met with the organizers seeking to repeal the Douglas AMA. Evidently, he neglected to inform them that there is no authority to ‘de-establish’ the Douglas AMA by local initiative, which was the main point of the petition. Nor did he effectively communicate the basic protocols and requirements of submitting petitions. Newly hired Elections Director Bob Bartelsmeyer did not know that all signed petitions about a subject are required to be submitted at the same time, not in batches. He was also unaware, apparently, that all petitions are required to have the exact same wording. The group Save Our Water, turned in two different batches of signed petitions with differing explanations on each. In response to the lawsuit, Cochise County Attorney, Brian McIntyre recommended that the initiative not be place on the ballot. Why does it takes a lawsuit to compel Recorder David Stevens (salary $63,800) and Elections Director Bob Bartelsmeyer (salary $95,000) to do their jobs? This is not rocket science! This is the eighth (yes, 8) elections-related lawsuit brought against Cochise County in about as many months. When will it stop? 3. CHALLENGE TO DOUGLAS WATER DISTRICT DISMISSED A Douglas AMA (Active Management Area) was voted on to establish to regulate water use within a prescribed area. Douglas, some of Sulphur Springs valley, and some of Bisbee (OB), and Saginaw were in the prescribe area. A similar initiative for Wilcox area was defeated. This year a few people under the name of Save Our Waters began a petition drive to revoke the Douglas AMA. They turned in enough signatures to qualify for the ballot according to elections director Bob Bartlesmeyer. They collected the 2000+ signatures is a remarkably short time. However the citizen petition was challenged legally by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) filing a suit on behalf of Douglas AMA residents, and according to news reports by the steller Shar Poirer of the Herald Review, the petition was so riddled with errors it was tossed out. Just a few of the procedural error; the petition did not ask that the signer lived in the AMA boundary, petitions have to be handed in all at the same time, not in batches, and citizens cannot vote to abolish an AMA. The Save Our Waters group had met with Recorder David Stevens prior to taking out the petition. Elections Director Bob Bartlesmeyer accepted the two batches of petitions. He did not know that all signatures on petitions had to be turned in at the same time. The EDF suite said that the Stevens and Bartlesmeyer should have declared the petition null and void from the start. <><> BACKGROUND ON DOUGLAS AMA CHALLENGE A new enewsletter, Cochise Regional News, written by Beau Hodai, an investigative reporter who believes in reporting that is in the public interest, has started up in Cochise County. Currently there is an interesting in depth article about the petition challenge to the Douglas AMA passed by voters. Several affected landowners are interviewed including the woman behind the anti-AMA petition. https://substack.com/profile/98945818-cochise-regional-news <><> HOW TO COMMENT ON COUNTY AGENDAS AND MORE There is a bunch of stuff going on that I hope you comment on. This is how to do it. From your couch if you want.... REQUEST TO SPEAK AT THE COCHISE COUNTY SUPERVISORS MEETING In order to speak at a supes meeting, you have to sign up, either online, sending the form anytime before the meeting by 8:30 am of the day of the meeting, or in person at 1415 Melody Lane 30 minutes before the meeting. Filling out the form, attaching it, and sending it in, is the easiest way to do it. Requests to speak are just that. Your opportunity to tell the supes what is on your mind. You can register a vote 'for' or 'against' about a specific agenda item, you can speak at 'Call to the Public' about anything you want, or speak about a specific agenda item at the time it comes up for discussion. You cannot speak specifically about an agenda item at Call to the Public. The form is specific. It has 'public hearing' items and 'action items' There are four boxes and you check one. There is space to write in the number of the agenda and whether you oppose or support it. There is a box to check if you want to speak at call to the public To sign up 1. Go here: https://www.cochise.az.gov/FormCenter/Board-of-Supervisors-17/Speaker-Request-Form-127 2. Download the form 3. Fill it out, save it, and send as an attachment to: board@cochise.az.gov 4. You should receive a confirmation of receipt within a couple of hours (on a business day) If you do not receive this, call the office of Board of Supervisors at 520-432-9200
...............THE LEGE................
CEBV has the most complete rundown of possibilities of what might happen as the lege returns: https://cebv.substack.com/p/cebv-weekly-july-31-2023?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
After a 6 week vacation, the second vacation in a six months session, the lege is back in session. And the republicans are running the state into the red, they have spent a $2 billion surplus in one year!
Your tax dollars not at work! In addition our 6 reps for the two districts including Bisbee & Cochise County each made about $6,000 while on their vacation for per diem. A cool $36,000 paid out of your pockets for legislators to go screw around for six weeks!
"Between revenue cuts and ESA vouchers, Arizona is squandering a jaw-dropping $2 billion in funds this year alone:
$761.5 million for the final phase-in of Ducey’s 2.5% "flat" income tax cut
$457.9 million for cities to offset a drop in revenue sharing from Ducey’s "flat" tax
$259.8 million for the one-time individual income tax rebate in this year's budget
$625 million on the ESA voucher program ($425 million more than budgeted)
And, of course, lawmakers have also spent every cent of our state’s accumulated surplus, much of it on pork-barrel projects. "
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..............POLITICS................
WHY HAND COUNTING OF VOTES IS A BAD IDEA https://www.votebeat.org/2023/7/24/23803066/hand-counting-ballots-election-security-france-cyber-ninjas <><> UNDERSTANDING VOUCHERS https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona-education/2023/06/26/answers-to-common-questions-arizona-empowerment-scholarship-account-program/70308372007/?utm_source=azcentral-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-greeting&utm_term=newsletter-greeting&utm_content=pphx-phoenix-nletter02 <><> THE UPS CONTRACT(copied from an AZ Republic News Story) https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/2023/07/25/ups-workers-pay-increase/70463413007/?utm_source=azcentral-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&Existing full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the contract, Teamsters shared in a news release. Existing part-timers will be raised up to no less than $21 per hour immediately. Existing part-time workers will also receive a 48% average total wage increase over the next five years. Part-time seniority workers making more than this new base rate will also see general wage increases. New part-time employees will start at $21 per hour and move up to $23 hourly. Teamsters shared that part-time general wage increases will be double what they were in the previous contract. The 2022 general wage increase was $1 according to the previous national contract, under the new tentative agreement, this rate would jump to $2. Wage bumps for full-time employees will bring the average top rate to $49 hourly. Drivers classified as “22.4s” − flexible drivers who do not work traditional Monday-Friday shifts − will be immediately reclassified as regular package car drivers and placed into seniority, ending what Teamsters said was an “unfair two-tier wage system.” Seasonal work will be limited to five weeks in November and December. Union part-time employees will have priority for seasonal work with a guaranteed eight hours of work. UPS will add air conditioning to all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars will get two fans and air induction vents. <><> WRITERS AND ACTORS STRIKE: SAME ISSUES IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES "With some of the most visible and famous people in the world calling for what could be the first union contract(s) to include guardrails for the rapidly advancing technology, the implications of this strike go far beyond Hollywood. Perhaps it’ll galvanize other industries at a time when strikes have been imminent across several fields around the world, from delivery to rail to medicine. " dhttps://themarkup.org/hello-world/2023/07/29/the-writers-strike-over-ai-is-bigger-than-hollywood <><> 16 STATES MADE IT HARDER TO VOTE, BUT 26 MADE IT EASIER Driven by many Republicans’ false belief that lax voting laws allowed the 2020 election to be stolen from former President Donald Trump, 2021 was a record-breaking year for voting restrictions. According to data from the Voting Rights Lab, a pro-voting-rights organization that tracks election-law legislation, state legislators introduced 566 bills restricting voter access or election administration that year, 53 of which were enacted. This year hasn’t been quite so busy, but as of July 21, 366 laws with voting restrictions had been proposed and 29 had been enacted. Go here: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/16-states-made-it-harder-to-vote-this-year-but-26-made-it-easier/?utm_source=Votebeat&utm_campaign=dff0ec4487-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_05_06_11_26_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2e6ae1125-dff0ec4487-1297142985 <><> THE TRUTH ABOUT ROBERT KENNEDY
INDIES NOW OUTNUMBER REPUBS AND DEMSIN ARIZONA
Independent voters now out number voters registered to the two major parties in Arizona. It reflects the 'pox on both of you' attitude of the growing number of voters. Repubs have become the No-Nothing party and show no sign of regaining the Conservative mantle that has been ripped asunder. And Dems continue pursuing a cultural agenda pushed by coastal elites.
Both parties no longer represent nor reflect working people.The repubs have nothing to say.
The dems however have a clear way forward with a huge opportunity to talk about the economic gains made possible by legislation passed that is having enormous real life consequences in communities throughout the nation.
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IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE INTERTWINED MECHANICS OF REAL WORLD GOVERNMENT & CAPITALISM, READ THIS
(And to understand why there is a drug shortage and old vs modern policy making.)
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MOMS FOR LIBERTY EXPOSED
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NO LABELS PARTY EXPOSED
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WRITE LETTERS. EASY PEASY.
Vote Forward has developed a method to reach voters in several states in key races. You writing a letter to the persons provided to you on a list, is an effective way to talk to people directly without knocking on doors. Go here for details an sign up: https://votefwd.org/instructions?utm_source=klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=em_20230717_va2023_lwp%20%282023-07-17%29&_kx=VqE0SphVbc08IR9QY6FsKF1MLydbW9U0xE_lurjfrj4%3D.LqnJRk
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HOLLYWOOD FAILING https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/can-a-writers-strike-save-hollywood?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
...............EVERYTHING ELSE................
RARE FOOTAGE OF AN OCELOT IN THE HUACHUACAS
And also a bear scratching its' back.
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TRAVELERS: OVERBOOKED RENTAL CARS
It's a problem. Go here for info how to avoid it.
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ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
The Environmental Working Group works to protect our environmental health by changing industry standards. They produce a variety of guides that can help separate the bad from the good. Mostly known for the 'Dirty Dozen', the worst pesticides on food, they have evolved over the years with guides on cosmetics, sunscreens, pfa's, tapwater, cleaning products, and more.I've been following their advice for years. Here are a few below.
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SAFE COSMETICS AND LOTIONS
Put in your lotion, oil, or cosmetic and get a detailed look at what it contains and a numerical breakdown of how safe it is.
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SAFE SUNSCREENS
Put in your sunscreen product and get a detailed look at what it contains and a numerical breakdown of how safe it is.
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SHOPPING NEWS
Trader Joe's stores can save you some big bucks when compared to traditional markets. Go here and see:
...... Overstock.com has bought the assets and name of Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It will join other names such as Toys “R” Us and Linens ‘n Things, Radio Shack and Pier 1 that are considered “zombies,” where investment firms scoop up the recognizable assets for dirt-cheap prices and hope to revive them, usually online. .......... CNET and Camel, Camel, Camel both have price checking software so that if you sign up, you can find the best deal on the product you are looking for........... Jedd Legum Popular Information https://popular.info/ Just want to take a moment to thank the Supreme Court for ensuring that a Colorado woman who doesn't create wedding websites and has never been forced to create a wedding website for anyone does not have to hypothetically create a wedding website for a hypothetical LGBTQ couple