Brian's Key Themes

Transparency

Often I hear community members ask questions about how a project cost turned out compared to its budget or whether it delivered the benefits expected. I've heard questions about how long it takes to obtain a building permit or a sign permit. Sometimes these questions are accompanied by a complaint. I get it, and I want to address those questions and complaints. I believe there are two ways to do so.

1. I will be proposing to my council colleagues that we fund a performance auditor (a position or third party service) that will report independently to the City Council. This function will have a scope determined by Council and will be tasked with performance assessments such as how a SIM project's costs compared to their projected values and whether expected results were achieved.


2. I will be proposing to my council colleagues that every city department contribute to a Performance Dashboard that allows the community to see how effectively the city is operating. One example could be the average time taken to turn around a response to building permit or sign permit applications.

Inclusivity

I really believe that our city staff tries to make the community aware of what is being considered or proposed as new initiatives or projects, what is coming before City Council, or what is simply happening in the community. But despite these efforts, many are still unaware, or they become aware at the last minute and don't feel they've had a chance to be heard. I think there is more that can be done. Here are some ideas I have.

1. I will be proposing to my council colleagues that we hold bi-monthly or quarterly town hall or focus group types of meetings in lieu of a Wednesday council work session. For these meetings, I'd like to see one or two topics be announced in advance in which the community can come and sit down at a table with council and staff members along with others from the community and in small groups discuss the announced topics and then also have an opportunity to speak on other topics of interest.


2. A best practice I learned about in Park City, UT is where the city has an hour a week on a local NPR station to share news about what the city is working on, upcoming events, and perspectives from council members and staff on a wide variety of topics. For Sedona, I was thinking of a podcast to be made weekly that would be available as a link on the city website's homepage for ease of access.


3. I want to be speaking with and hearing from all the diverse voices in our community. One of my greatest learnings from my time on City Council came from the Safe Place To Park referendum. Once that item qualified for the ballot, it seemed like there was no longer any talking with folks with whom we may have disagreed on the issue. That was painful for everyone no matter where you stood on the referendum. Subsequently, I vowed to meet more people in the community and have sought out voices of those that have expressed disappointment, frustration, or anger with the city. It's been very meaningful to me to meet with a variety of people and explore where we have common ground, and the best part is that there is always some common ground to be found! I will keep on meeting those diverse voices in the community.

Community

Sedona has a community plan, and it covers a broad array of topics, but it is mostly about land use when the day is done. I hear our neighbors express disappointment over the loss of community due to Short Term Rental proliferation, so what does community look like today? What does it mean to be a 21st century rural, small town community with more than 3 million visitors every year? I think we need to figure that out collectively because it's a bigger question than what one mayoral candidate can sort out! Here are a few thoughts I have on this subject.

1. I want all of us to be proud of our city and feel like we each have opportunities to experience community in Sedona.


2. I hear people talk about bringing back events from the past or maybe holding new ones in which the community gathers and celebrates. What interests you? What would be meaningful to you?


3. City planners will often talk about "sense of place", i.e., the look, the feel of an area, and it connects the physical environment to the community. It doesn't have to apply to entire city, but rather to a neighborhood or an area of a city. What should Sedona's sense of place be as a 21st century rural, small town whether we're talking about Uptown, West Sedona, or the Chapel area? Maybe it's right at this very moment or maybe there is an area that needs something. What is it? I'd like to hear what you think!