Life Coach in Vail, AZ

Copy This Embed Code:

Ad

VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — For the first time in a decade, there’s a push to make Vail an incorporated town or city.

It’s a move that could be beneficial, but also complicated for the quickly-growing suburban community southeast of Tucson.

“A lot of people move out to Vail because they like the rural nature out here. And I love it too,” said Pima County Planning and Zoning Commission chair David Hook, who lives in Vail. “It’s a very rural. But when I was growing up in Phoenix, there were a lot of rural areas that are now cities and towns.”

Hook leads a committee called “Incorporate Vail, AZ?” The name, much like the idea itself, still has a question mark.

“It’s the voters of Vail that would make this decision,” Hook said. “It’s not my decision. It’s not the committee’s decision. We’ve got a great committee, great team. But ultimately it’s Vail that will make the decision.”

In fact, voters did make a decision in 2013. The same question was asked then, with about 55 percent of voters saying ‘No,’ keeping Vail unincorporated.

Now there’s a renewed incorporation effort.

Hook says if there’s enough support this fall, the goal would be to put the question on the ballot in Fall 2023.

While he says the end result doesn’t matter to him and he just wants voters to be informed, Hook personally believes the community would be better off incorporated, largely because it would have more autonomy.

“In 2013, I don’t think the temperature was right yet for people to vote to incorporate,” he recalled. “As Tucson continues to grow, Vail will either be their own community, or maybe get subsumed by Tucson. So we have to—Now’s the time to determine ‘Do we want to direct our own future, or do we want to be part of somebody else’s future?’”

As a city or town, Vail would also be entitled to money from the state of Arizona, such as a share of state sales tax revenue.

But it also opens the door to new taxes for those who live in Vail, like sales or property taxes.

“When you do become a town, there is a cost involved,” Hook said.

That cost goes toward establishing departments to handle utilities, roads and more.

Vail currently partners with Pima County Sheriff’s Department and Rincon Valley Fire. But as a town or city, it would have to decide whether to establish its own public safety departments.

“You have to have an attorney, you have to have an administration, you have to have a council, you have to have a mayor. All of those things. But that’s the bare minimum,” Hook advised.

For some, that could be a dealbreaker.

“People do not want another layer of government,” said Hook. “People don’t trust government. Government is a bad word today. And you tell people we’re gonna have another layer of government and people get scared about that.”

After already hosting hundreds in local meetings on the topic, there are six additional neighborhood discussions scheduled for September.

STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Delaware North today announced its continued expansion in the parks and lodging sector through the acquisition of the Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn.

The 322-room hotel and resort is located in Tusayan, Ariz. – only 7 miles from the South Rim entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, making it one of the closest lodging options to the park. Terms of the purchase are not being disclosed.

The desert property, being renamed the Squire Resort at the Grand Canyon, will remain affiliated with the Best Western Premier brand before transitioning to the Best Western Signature Collection by mid-year. Signature Collection hotels are distinguished by their originality and individual personas and entice guests with home-away-from-home comfort and value.

The Squire Resort is now the second hotel being operated by Delaware North near or in Grand Canyon National Park. The company currently operates Yavapai Lodge, Trailer Village RV Park and several general stores in Grand Canyon Village for the National Park Service. In Tusayan, Delaware North operates the Tusayan General Store, which includes a Starbucks.

"We're thrilled to expand our lodging footprint at the Grand Canyon, reinforcing our commitment to this extraordinary destination," said Scott Socha, Delaware North's group president of its Parks and Resorts division and Australia business. "We continue to see great opportunity in this market and remain focused on offering authentic outdoor recreation and hospitality experiences for travelers visiting from around the world."

In addition to the hotel, the resort boasts five food and beverage offerings, including Coronado, a fine-dining restaurant, and Squire Pub, a casual eatery, along with a banquet facility. The property also features both an indoor and outdoor pool, a fully equipped fitness center, a bowling and arcade area and employee housing.

Advertisement

The resort's ideal location provides visitors with convenient access to the park's top attractions such as Desert View, the Trail of Time, Mather Point, Yavapai Point and other sightseeing adventures. The Squire Resort at the Grand Canyon will be operated by Delaware North's Parks and Resorts division, which owns and operates hotels, luxury cabins and other lodging experiences, primarily in and near national and state parks and cultural attractions. The portfolio includes nearly 25 lodging locations throughout the United States, Australia and New Zealand, representing more than 3,000 lodging units. In addition to lodging, the company also operates food, beverage and retail services, recreational activities and educational programming at several of the locations. Delaware North owns and operates the exclusive and award-winning Lizard Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Prior to acquiring Squire Inn, Delaware North's most recent acquisition in the sector was Nova Guides, a full-service premier outdoor recreation and adventure tour company near Vail, Colo., with exclusive wedding and lodging offerings through Camp Hale Weddings. That purchase made Delaware North one of the largest operators of winter outdoor recreation and adventure tours in the United States.

In April 2022, Delaware North completed construction and opened the Courtyard by Marriott Titusville – Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the closest hotel to the space center's launch pads and visitor complex.

"We are continuing to execute a growth strategy focused on building our portfolio of owned assets to complement our contract hospitality business," Socha said.

Basic biographical information:

1. What do you see as the most important issue to address and how would you address it?

Teacher and staff retention is an ongoing nationwide concern that requires strong focus on many factors like school characteristics and teacher demographics that affect whether teachers stay in their schools, move to different school districts, or completely depart the profession. I look forward to further working with our governing board, collaborating with educators, assisting administrators, and total stakeholders to adopt or design professional supports that strengthen teachers’ sense of purpose, career development, and effectiveness. I will encourage teachers to voice their opinions to help nurture stronger learning where teachers’ influence and sense of belonging is increased for review of strategies lowering barriers that make it harder for teachers to do their jobs. I will review forward thinking initiatives and strategies to attract new teachers, retain experienced ones, and celebrate top performance through the creation of incentive payments.

2. Why should voters choose you, rather than other candidates?

I have gleaned a lifetime of professional and personal experiences culminating in the knowledge, passion, and commitment to our communities, our people, and our school district. I will utilize every resource to ensure great teachers and staff are hired, developed, and retained to do the hard work of ensuring every stakeholder’s voice is heard and every VUSD student gains the best education to ensure their future success in our ever-evolving technology-based and globalized economy.

3. Could you please provide a list of the people and organizations that have endorsed you?

Calvin and Nancy Baker – Retired VUSD Superintendent

Micah Mortensen – Benson Superintendent, former VUSD Principal, and Vail Resident

J.J. Lamb – President & CEO Vail Preservation Society

Rob and Ellen Samuelsen – President/CEO of Smallstart Ventures Incorporated

Dana Staggs

Laurie Emery – Retired VUSD Principal of OVMS

Kathleen McNaboe – Retired VUSD Special Education Director

Debbie King – Retired VUSD Governing Board for 16 years

Jami Salyers

Mark Tate – Retired VUSD Board Member and Lynnette Tate

JV Nyman

Bruce and Sandy Whitehouse – Retired CdT Fire Chief and Former CdT Fire Board Chair

Steffanie Stark – Former GM of Greater Vail Community ReSources

Catherine Byars – Founder of Vail Parent Network and Brian Byars

Stacy Winstryg – COVE Chair, President of Vail School District Foundation, and Founder of Vail Parent Network and Sig Winstryg

Rob Sanchez – Vail School District Foundation Board Member

Steve & Carol Langford – Make a difference Day Committee and Vail Serves Vail

Jeff Logsdon – Pastor Hope Church and former President of Greater Vail Area Chamber of Commerce

Matt & Tanya Hoose – Former Citizens of Vail for Education chair

Kiki Ngo – Citizens of Vail for Education Board Member

Jillian Slade – Former VUSD Teacher

Margaret Burkholder – Retired VUSD Governing Board Member for 12 years

Mike Fester – Former OVMS Principal

Linda Feltheim – Founder of Vail Parent Network and Scott Feltheim

Keeley Hurley

Janette Akins

Taber Bingham

Stuart Douglass – Former President of Vail School Board Foundation

Jeremy Kelly

Devin Pratt

Carrie Burdon – Former VUSD Teacher

Lisa Higgins

Pam Gorecki

Lora Irby

Nicole Whitt

Crystal Stark – Former VUSD Music Teacher

Bob Riel

Sara Brown, Opinion Coordinator at the Arizona Daily Star Newsroom working with editorial, features, business and metro. sbbrown@tucson.com, 520-807-8466. Twitter: @sbrownarizona. Facebook: sbrownarizona.

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Inflation has caused many goods, from gas to food, to skyrocket over the past year.

This is especially true for those in the agriculture community in southern Arizona.

Trish Nelson, owner and operator of Nelson Farms near Vail, has been raising horses for more than two decades.

A Tucsonan herself, Nelson couldn’t imagine running her farm anywhere else.

However, recent prices on feed such as hay and grain have increased significantly. That is causing her and many other farmers to worry about their future.

“We have had huge increases just over the last year,” Nelson said. “Some of it due to diesel some of it I’m not sure where it’s coming from. It’s been huge increases. It’s been almost triple what we usually spend.”

Nelson said these higher hay prices do not just impact farmers but the consumer as well.

She said that since farmers are having to pay more for feed, the prices they charge for their goods and services will have to increase.

“A bale five years ago would be $12 dollars or less,” she said. “Now it’s almost $30. That’s how much it impacts everything. We have to raise our prices because of the hay prices.”

According to Nelson, right now local farmers are meeting and discussing how they should move forward.

She said many are considering getting hay out-of-state for lower prices.

However, with close to 60 horses to feed, Nelson said inflation could force her to sell horses to keep costs down and stay in business.

“Are we going to survive? I mean that’s a lot of it,” Nelson said. “I would feel so sorry for a young trainer trying to make a living these days if they didn’t have a client base because it’s just impossible to make it at this point.”

Nelson believes there is more to the price gouging going on.

This is why she is calling on lawmakers to investigate the problem and come up with a solution since this is an issue impacting many in southern Arizona.

“I don’t blame the farmer as much as it is a middleman issue, is it a broker? I do not know,” Nelson said. “All I know is we are at the end, and we are just getting punished, it’s really hard to be in this business”

Nelson said despite the skyrocketing prices, she and other farmers will continue to pay because it is an important source of nutrition for the horses.

Copyright 2023 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

Basic biographical information:

1. What do you see as the most important issue to address and how would you address it?

The most important issue I would like to address is retention, both students and teachers. I understand public schools are only allotted so many funds, but if we get creative we may be able to develop incentives to keep teachers motivated. I would like to see partnerships with local gyms, community donations from grocery gift cards to health and beauty spas that can help brighten a teachers day. Many teachers chose this career, not for the pay, but because they are passionate about the children. We, as a community, need to continue to show our teachers how much we believe in them. A teacher that is happy and motivated to be their best for our children can have a positive impact on the students therefore keeping the students excited to attend. It all works hand in hand, happy teachers equals happy students.

2. Why should voters choose you, rather than other candidates?

My motivation to run for this seat continues to be about keeping our children safe while offering the best education possible to prepare them for the real world as young adults. I will listen to the parents and teachers and always do my best to represent their concerns and ideals throughout my run. This seat is a nonpartisan seat. To me that means, even if I may not agree 100% on an item, I will vote for and represent what my community wants. I don’t react out of emotion, instead, I take the time to really understand the subject at hand, talk to the teachers, school staff, and community, so I can arrive to a decision based on what the majority of our community wants. It is important to stay level minded throughout this position, listening to everyone’s concerns before making a vote. I will also offer transparency, always explaining why I chose to vote a certain way, offering insight on my problem solving method and giving strong reasons and facts to support my decision.

3. Could you please provide a list of the people and organizations that have endorsed you?

I haven’t received any public endorsements from political organizations or VUSD school pages. I have walked our neighborhoods and had many conversations with the community members, teachers, parents, and students and I feel confident in their support. I would like to see our voters make the decision on their own, not one that reflects someone else’s opinions or beliefs. It is important for our voters to read about each candidate and vote for whom they feel would best represent our community.

Sara Brown, Opinion Coordinator at the Arizona Daily Star Newsroom working with editorial, features, business and metro. sbbrown@tucson.com, 520-807-8466. Twitter: @sbrownarizona. Facebook: sbrownarizona.