Mountain Trails Gallery A Love of the West Throughout February

Mountain Trails Gallery celebrates "A Love of the West" during the month of February. If your passion is western wildlife, working cowboys, Native American pottery, people, or places, we have bronze sculpture, oil paintings, and jewelry that will make your heart race! Join us for Sedona Gallery Association's First Friday Art Tour Friday, February 5, from 5-8 pm and enjoy light refreshments and artistic food for your soul.

February 13 - Susan Tereba Gem & Ivory Show at Andrea Smith Gallery

Please join us in welcoming world-renowned artist Susan Tereba, all the way from her secluded home in Southeast Asia. Susan will be showcasing her stunning creations which are hand-carved from Wooly Mammoth tusk.

Susan Tereba designs and creates one-of-a-kind spiritually infused jewelry and sculptures that draw upon elements from different cultures around the globe, crossing eons of time with the intention of reawakening the senses of joy, respect and awareness of our interconnectedness with all that is. The amulets created are a combination of gemstones and beads that express the theme of the piece. The sculptures have exquisite presence and are small enough to be displayed easily on an altar or shelf in the home. They are magnificent works of art that range from dragons, and frogs, to Buddha and Quan Yin. The subjects of the amulets are always spiritual, often about compassion and the inner journeys we all take. Each piece has a special story written by Susan describing the work.

Tereba often incorporates ancient, antique, handcrafted beads into their amulets. The combination of these beads, gemstones and ivory kindle an energy when put on, often causing a shift for the wearer, who is often deeply moved emotionally. The intention of her work is to “touch, tickle, or remind you of your own uncharted areas.” She feels that the essence of her location in Bali contributes its own magic to each of the pieces.

Please come and meet Susan and view this, the largest show of legal fossilized ivory, on display here in Sedona. Join us at the Andrea Smith Gallery in Sedona on Saturday February 13th from 12pm until 5pm for this extraordinary display. The Andrea Smith Gallery is in the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, at 336 Highway 179 in Sedona, located under the Oak Creek Brewery.

The gallery can be reached at 928-203-9002, or email us at: fineart@andreasmithgallery.com and visit us online at http://www.andreasmithgallery.com/.

Sedona Marathon Pre-Race Expo at Tlaquepaque

Join us on Friday, February 5, 2010 from 10 am to 8 pm at Tlaquepaque for our Pre-Race Expo. The Pre-Race Expo is open to the public, is conveniently located at the same property as the Race Registration and admission is free. Gather valuable information, enjoy free samples and purchase fantastic products from our vendors in the beautiful setting of the Tlaquepaque Village. Some of the vendors include:

Agave Resort

American Legion

Desert Star Community School

Doctor Hoy's Natural Pain ReliefGel

Gypsy Runner

Horizon Air

Lasting Beauty,Ideal Protein

Layna Cirelli, KMI Structural Integration

Phil Wharton

Pilates By Richelle & Trainer Robbie Blacknall

Poco Diablo Resort

Ruth Ann Burgueno, Nutritional Counselor

Sedona Metaphysical Association

Sedona Offroad Adventures

Snap Fitness

Sunergetics LLC

Sedona Marathon Award's Party

Having a great time is what Rosemary and Frankie's dance group PLATINUM is about and you can hear them at the 5th Annual Sedona Marathon's Post Race Celebration and Awards Ceremony at Tlaquepaque, Saturday, February 6th, from 3 to 7 p.m. PLATINUM covers a wide range of dance favorites by classic rock, funk and R&B artists of the 60's, 70's and 80's. They bring their rich experience and ability to every performance and really enjoy what they do and that transmits to the audience. It's about connecting with people and expressing their own sound and technique by putting their own spin on favorite songs made famous by The Eagles, Kiki Dee, Linda Ronstadt, Aretha Franklin, Rare Earth, The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Santana, ZZ Top and many others.

Over the past several years, Rosemary Chavez, a professional singer, recording artist and composer and Frankie Chavez, an accomplished drummer, percussionist and songwriter have become well known in the Sedona music scene with their groups Jazz a'la mode and PLATINUM which consists of Rosemary, Frankie, Steve Sandner on keyboards, Bryan Sinclair on bass and Daryl Carter on guitar. These accomplished musicians have pleased audiences at local clubs such as The Olde Sedona, Relics, the 10 12 Lounge and PJ's Village Pub. They've worked their magic at the Sedona Arts Festival, the Sedona International Film Festival, Concerts at Courthouse Square in Prescott, Sedona's Red Rock Dirt Concert as well as the 1st Annual Sedona Marathon.

Chavez Music has brought the best of LA to Sedona with Rosemary's incredible vocals and Frankie's uncanny ability to know what audiences are looking for and getting them up on their feet. PLATINUM is about feeling good, having fun and really enjoying what you hear.
All spectators, volunteers, race participants and friends of the Sedona Marathon are invited to attend this special ceremony and community party to enjoy celebratory festivities. Come on out and dance your socks off!

Social Media Classes for Tlaquepaque Merchants

Monday and Tuesday we enjoyed the Social Media Workshop offered by Heather Hermen, Director of Public Relations at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Those in attendance were:

Wendy Lippman

Jill Kyriakopulos

Diego Constante - Feliz Navidad and Sedona Music Boxes and More

Misha - Kuivato Glass Gallery

Gary and Andrea Smith - Andrea Smith Gallery

Winona - Mountain Trails Gallery

Shea Rameriz - Just us Girls

Katharina - Geoffrey Roth Gallery

We learned about various social media outlets including Twitter, Facebook and blogs. It is highly recommended that businesses sign up for facebook for free advertising and getting the word out on your business. You can go to http://www.facebook.com/ and click on "create a page for a celebrity, band or business" located on the lower right hand corner under "Sign Up". This is the start to your social media networking.

You can sign up for twitter at http://twitter.com/ and start sending news about your business to people that choose to follow you. It is a great way to promote your business and it is free!

For those of you that are interested in setting up a blog for your business, we suggess using wordpress which is very easy to use. You can view the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Blog at http://www.visitsedonablog.wordpress.com/. To set up a blog go to http://wordpress.com/ and click on "Start a Blog". It is fun and it is free so you can express yourself and promote your business.

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce offers classes to help businesses with Social Media. We highly recommend these classes and please let the Management Office at Tlaquepaque know if you are interested in one of these classes. You can also talk to some of the people that attended the class and get their feedback. I am sure you will find it very positive.

Gold Door Gallery Reopens after Gallery Upgrade

The Gold Door Gallery has reopened after remodeling the gallery. You will now see a lovely tiled floor with new lighting, colorful painting and refurbished jewelry cases. All the furniture and cases have been rearranged and the shop sparkles with light and color. Stop by and visit the Gold Door Gallery to look at the upgrade.

Marketing Meeting Tuesday, February 2 at 8:45am

There will be a marketing meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, February 2nd in the ballroom above Rene restaurant....Greet and eat will be at 8:45 a.m. - and then the Red Rock TV group will present a new "Full Circle Advertising Plan" - So for those of you are existing advertisers on TV - you will have some new opportunities to look at - and for those that aren't on TV - you might find new reasons why to advertise.

If you would be so kind - please let us know if you can make the meeting - again it is next TUESDAY.

State Route 89A closed to Flagstaff

ADOT responds to storm damage along SR 89A in Oak Creek CanyonHighway closed until emergency repairs can be madeSEDONA - The forces of Mother Nature made themselves known along a number of Arizona highways during and after last week's powerful winter storms. A section of one damaged highway, State Route 89A connecting Sedona and Flagstaff, remains closed until emergency repairs can be made.The Arizona Department of Transportation is working to speed repairs along SR 89A at the bottom of the switchbacks of Oak Creek Canyon, where storm runoff caused damage. The highway is unsafe for travel until the repairs can be made, and may be closed for up to two weeks. ADOT's engineers have assessed the area and have determined that rushing water flowed down the mountains and across the roadway, washing away the soil beneath a portion of the SR 89A pavement, creating a gap underneath the roadway. The water also eroded part of the slope next to the highway. ADOT is working to repair the pavement and fill in the retaining wall-work that is expected to take several days.SR 89A is closed in both directions along an approximately 10-mile stretch. Drivers who normally use the highway to commute between Sedona and Flagstaff must now use Interstate 17 and State Route 179.ADOT is working with the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona, as well as Coconino County and the Arizona Department of Public Safety to get the message out to both residents and travelers."We want to reopen the highway as soon as possible," said John Harper, district engineer for ADOT's Flagstaff District. "Our primary responsibility is to keep people as safe as possible when damage like this occurs. We want to emphasize that no one should drive around the barricades and try to travel on the damaged roadway. This is a major safety risk."

Support Nancy Scagnelli for City Council

Hard work. Dedication to the common good. Courage. Those all deserve reward and support, don't you think? They all describe Nancy Scagnelli.

The mail-in election for Sedona City Council is March 9th, and ballots go out the week of February 15th. As always, elections in Sedona are critical. This year, a “slate” of 5 is being supported by special interest groups, which should be of concern to everyone.

Because we believe in supporting all aspects of our community, both the environment and the business community, and common sense fiscal responsibility, we are supporting Nancy Scagnelli for re-election to City Council for a 4-year seat.

Nancy has proven leadership skills, abundance of common sense, and as a 36-year resident, understands Sedona. She brings an historical perspective to issues, looks at the big picture and is not afraid to do the right thing even if there is resistance in the audience. You can rely on Nancy to keep putting Sedona First!

It is expensive to run a campaign and especially this year when some opponents have the backing of a Political Action Committee. We are asking for your help. Contributions—a maximum of $410.00 per person, not from a corporation—can be made to:
Sedona First/Scagnelli for Council P.O. Box 1462 Sedona, AZ 86339

We realize these are tough economic times and please know that any amount is greatly appreciated!

If you would like to help in other ways—by putting a sign in your yard, distributing magnetic bumper stickers and buttons, or by hosting people to your home, homeowners association, or club meeting to meet Nancy—you can tell us how on the enclosed slip or contact Nancy directly at nancyscagnelli@msn.com, or by phone at 282-5873.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sincerely,
Linda and Dale Starr John and Maree Bradshaw
Co-chairs Co-chairs

Weather Alert for SR 179 and Oak Creek

Arizona Department of Transportation SR 179 Improvement Project 800.529.2876 www.scenic179.com pr@scenic179.com

Weather Alert for SR 179 and Oak Creek

ADOT and the Contractor are aware that there could be major flooding in Oak Creek early Friday due to a rain event on site Thursday evening. We are taking precautions to remove all small construction materials from the creek bed and secure the larger ones. We have put all subcontractors on alert, and the contractor drilling the bridge shafts will remove the drilling equipment by the end of the shift on Thursday. We are also preparing the rest of the site to attempt to contain and channel as much runoff as possible through the best management practice sediment controls. We strongly advise all residents to prepare for this potential flood and please only travel on SR 179 Thursday night if it is absolutely necessary.
Currently (subject to weather changes), Oak Creek is expected to reach flood stage Friday around 6 am with a crest approximately 10 hours later. This event, if it develops as forecasted, could be similar or worse than the December 2004 event that reached the bottom of the old bridge.

Update from the City of Sedona

For Immediate Release
Date: January 20, 2010
Contact: City Manager’s Office
Phone: 928/204-7127
Fax: 928/282-5671

Hazardous Weather – Flooding Potential

Weather forecasts for Thursday, January 21, 2010 and Friday, January 22, 2010 indicate the potential for flooding along Oak Creek. Sedona community officials will advise residents and business owners of imminent flooding and the need to evacuate out of the area. Be prepared to leave at a moments notice, be sure to take medications, personal papers/photos and pets. This notification could come as early as Thursday, January 21st, in the afternoon. Please watch for updates on our website http://www.sedonaaz.gov/.

Should flooding occur, please do not attempt to cross rain-swollen, low water crossings.

5’ Level or Higher
Begin visual monitoring creek level at Oak Creek Bridge (by Tlaquepaque) on hourly basis, low lying areas most likely to be impacted at this stage would be:

Bear Wallow Lane
New Castle Island
Doodle Bug Road/Sycamore Lane
Oak Creek Cliffs
Back O’ Beyond Road

6’ Level or Higher
Notify local businesses and residents to make plans for evacuation. This will include the areas above as well as:

Rancho Sedona RV park residents
Arroyo Robles Resort Timeshares
Amara Resort
L’Auberge Resort
Tlaquepaque
Los Abrigados Resort & Spa
Oak Creek Cliffs residents
Trail Ends residents
Copper Cliffs residents
Oak Creek Mobile Lodge residents

Three locations are available to obtain sand and sand bags, which are provided free to the Public, can be accessed at any time, please bring shovels:
Uptown - empty lot on Forest Road west of Fire station #4
Sedona Red Rock High School north end of stadium parking lot
United Methodist Church parking lot on SR 179 near Back O' Beyond Road

Flooding Expected for Sedona

From drought to flooding… We are poised over the next few hours/days to be walloped by rain, snow and flooding. Please be careful. This is a link to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality regarding Domestic Well Safety and Flooding: http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/dw/download/wells.pdf

Below – not pretty to read, but current – is the latest national weather service advisory for Yavapai County. It’s umbrella time!

TODAY AND TONIGHT

RAIN AND SNOW WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE FROM THE SOUTH LATE IN THE DAY
AS ANOTHER STORM APPROACHES THE REGION.

THIS NEXT STORM HAS PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF SEVERAL NEW SNOW
ADVISORIES AND WINTER STORM WARNINGS ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR TONIGHT.

WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

AFTER A BREAK IN THE ACTION WEDNESDAY...AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL AND
MOIST STORM SYSTEM WILL TAKE AIM AT ARIZONA WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
SATURDAY MORNING.

EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ARE
POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL OF DAMAGING WINDS AS A STRONG
COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT.

WITH THE HEAVY RAIN...THERE WILL BE A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING
SOUTH OF THE MOGOLLON RIM. AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN MAY FALL
OVER PORTIONS OF YAVAPAI AND NORTHERN GILA COUNTIES BETWEEN THURSDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD FLOODING.

FOR THE MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS ABOVE 6500 TO 7000 FEET...LARGE AMOUNTS
OF SNOW WILL FALL. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR WARMER AIR TO BE DRAWN
NORTHWARD THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHICH WOULD RAISE SNOW
LEVELS POSSIBLY AS HIGH AS 7500 FEET. EVEN SO...ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MEASURED IN FEET...WITH AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 FEET
OF ADDITIONAL SNOW FALLING IN THIS TWO-DAY PERIOD ALONE. AREAS THAT
DO NOT MIX IN WITH ANY RAIN...OR AREAS ABOVE 7500 FEET...WILL LIKELY
BE ON THE HIGHER SIDE OF THAT RANGE. AREAS THAT ARE A BIT LOWER...OR
THAT SEE SOME RAIN THURSDAY EVENING...WILL BE ON THE LOWER SIDE.

TO COMPLICATE THIS WEATHER SITUATION WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY OF
DAMAGING WINDS AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY
NIGHT. WITH HEAVY SNOW LOADING ON TREES AND UTILITY POLES ALONG WITH
THE HIGH WINDS...POWER OUTAGES COULD BECOME A PROLONGED PROBLEM AS
WELL. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW MAY BRING
NEAR WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS AND VERY RAPID SNOW ACCUMULATION...MAKING
TRAVEL CONDITIONS EXTRAORDINARILY HAZARDOUS.

URGENT - THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

SOILS ARE MOIST TO NEARLY SATURATED IN MOST AREAS. A THIRD AND MUCH STRONGER MOIST WINTER STORM IS FORECAST TO IMPACT NORTHERN ARIZONA STARTING THURSDAY MORNING...AND LASTING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO BRING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ...OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS...YAVAPAI AND GILA COUNTIES. YAVAPAI COUNTY MOUNTAINS- YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS-OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PRESCOTT...SELIGMAN...ASH FORK...COTTONWOOD...CAMP VERDE...CORDES JUNCTION...BAGDAD...SEDONA ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR ELEVATIONS BELOW 6500 FEET...

* POSSIBLE RAINFALL TOTALS: 3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN ARE POSSIBLE BY FRIDAY MIDDAY WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN YAVAPAI AND NORTHERN GILA COUNTIES. SOME AREAS IN SOUTHERN YAVAPAI AND NORTHERN GILA COUNTIES MAY LOCALLY SEE UP TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN.

* IMPACTS: RAPID RISES OF NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND CREEKS ARE POSSIBLE WITH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS ADJACENT TO CREEKS AND RIVERS. LOW WATER CROSSINGS WILL ESPECIALLY BECOME SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. GIVEN THE DURATION OF THE RAINFALL SOME AREAS MAY SEE FLOODING CONDITIONS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.




Robert Resendes, MBA, MT(ASCP), CLS(RI)

Health Officer / Director
Yavapai County Community Health Services
1090 Commerce Drive
Prescott, AZ 86305

Office: 928-442-5966
Fax: 866-528-8185
Cellular: 928-830-0982

robert.resendes@co.yavapai.az.us

http://www.yavapaihealth.com/

Friday in February Event at Andrea Smith Gallery Feb. 5

Artist Andrea Smith, will be at her gallery at Tlaquepaque to unveil a unique Limited Edition collection of Denim jackets with her artwork as well as that of Super realist, Matthew Smith.

Each jacket is made of high quality denim with an acrylic image from Andrea and Matthew’s collections painted on the back. There will only be 5 jackets of each size and image, and each one will be signed and numbered by the artist. This is a great opportunity to wear art in a casual setting.

Andrea is known to the public as the world peace artist, and has had exhibitions in countries on every continent, from Russia to Egypt, and Japan to Norway. Her work speaks of finding inner peace as a way to accomplish peace on the planet.

Over the years she has worked with the president of Costa Rica, the mayor of San Francisco, the Chancellor of Antiquities of Egypt, and various peace organizations in an effort to spread her message, “Peace Within, Peace on Earth”.

Her collectors include: Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Gerald Jampolsky, Diane Cirincione, President Rodrigo Carazo, Mrs. Anwar Sadat, Zahi Hawass, President Gorbechev, Rinaldo Brutuco, plus a host of others throughout the world.

Andrea Smith will be at the Gallery located underneath the Oak Creek Brewery at Tlaquepaque from 6PM to 8 PM. Please enjoy refreshments and a wonderful evening with Andrea Smith

Jerry Jampolsky at Andrea Smith Gallery Sat. March 13

Dr. Jerry Jampolsky and his wife, Dr. Diane Cirincione, will be making their second journey to the Andrea Smith Gallery from Hawaii to do a special round circle forum at the Tlaquepaque Ballroom from 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 13th. The public is invited, although it is a good idea to call the gallery at 928-203-9002 to reserve a seat, as it will be sure to be filled to capacity. There will be a nominal $12 per person charge, and refreshments will be served.

The audience will be able to participate with two of the most compassionate people on the planet, in their forum discussion.

Between the two doctors, they have written over 15 books, and have talked of their mission in just about every country on the planet. Their hearts are filled with love and forgiveness, and their presence in today’s society has made a positive difference for the world today.

Jerry and Diane have a unique way to dialog with people, no matter who you are. When these people talk to you, you have the feeling of being someone special, and if you are in a group you will receive their attention no matter your status in life or importance to others.

Their philosophy is “You can achieve harmony, forgiveness, and well being, overcome any obstacle, build constructive relationships, heal illness, assuage the deepest grief. If you have the capacity to love, you can do anything, because LOVE IS THE ANSWER.”

In 1975 Dr Jampolsky founded The Center for Attitudinal Healing, a place where children and adults with life-threatening illnesses could practice peace of mind as an inspiration of spiritual transformation and inner healing-a practice that soon evolved into an approach to life with profound benefits for everyone.

All of the books written by Jampolsky and Cirincione will be available at their talk.
Jerry and Diane, in addition to all of their professional work and spiritual roles throughout the world, are true artists. They both are sculptors, preferring clay as the medium and casting in bronze. They will be unveiling two new sculptures in bronze at this event, in addition to Dr. Jampolsky’s previous pieces.

Please remember to call the Andrea Smith Gallery at 928-203-9002 to reserve a space for this memorable event. The gallery is located under the Oak Creek Brewery at Tlaquepaque.

Sedona Weather Service Notice - Hazardous Weather (Jan 18 - 22)

Weather Service Notice - Hazardous Weather

The City of Sedona and Sedona Fire District were made aware of a series of approaching storms that are anticipated to affect Northern Arizona, including the Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona area, beginning Monday, January 18, 2010 through Friday, January 22, 2010.
The National Weather Service has advised of the potential for hazardous weather including snow and rain at higher elevations, a wind advisory and rainfall in the lower elevations through out the week that may cause localized flooding in Oak Creek and the Verde River basin.
Should the need arise, three locations are available to obtain sand, sand bags and shovels which are provided free to the Public and can be accessed at any time:
Uptown - empty lot on Forest Road west of the Fire station
Sedona Red Rock High School parking lot - United Methodist Church parking lot on SR 179 near Back O'Beyond Road.

Updates will be posted to the City of Sedona website http://www.sedonaaz.gov/ and Sedona Fire District website http://www.sedonafire.org/ for Oak Creek Canyon and surrounding communities. For additional information contact the City Manager's Office at (928) 204-7127 or Sedona Fire District at (928) 282-6800.

City of Sedona to Audit Sedona Businesses

Get ready Sedona business owners because the City is setting sights on your books.
At its Jan. 12 meeting the Sedona City Council gave staff the go ahead to set wheels in motion to enable the City to audit sales tax collections. According to staff, this is the first step towards the implementation of the council’s top priority to achieve and maintain financial stability based on their November 12, 2009 retreat.

At that retreat the council also discussed the possibility of the City collecting sales taxes instead of the State in order to gain further control over the revenue.
At the Jan. 12 meeting this goal was not discussed. Auditing business sales taxes is the first step in the plan. According to Sedona Economic Planner Jodi Filardo, City Staff has been working with representatives from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns to modify the City’s tax code and to create the necessary related ordinance and resolution enabling the City to pursue the local auditing of sales tax collection. She noted deep staff reductions at the Arizona Department of Revenue, combined with the decline of City sales tax collection levels necessitate participation in sales tax audits at the local level.

Filardo said at the meeting 42 Arizona cities have supplementary local audit authority, including Camp Verde, Chino Valley, Cottonwood, Holbrook, Prescott Valley, Williams, and Winslow.
She said that the auditing could be accomplished by contracting outside professional auditing agencies instead of using City Staff. “For every dollar we spend we can get back three,” Filardo said. “It can go up to $8 for every $1 spent depending on the city and circumstance.”
She said these firms can be contracted for a flat fee per year, pointing out Bullhead City spends approximately $60,000 per year for these audits.

Sedona resident Sandy Moriarty during public comment urged the council to take into consideration the current economic situation and its impact on businesses. She noted many businesses might not know how to properly pay their taxes.
“I’ve seen comments in the media that doing audits on businesses in distress can hurt them,” she said. “People might not understand what they are supposed to do. Once they have been informed and audited, they will comply.”

According to Filardo, businesses that have been audited and haven’t paid their taxes are required to pay them. They must also pay interest on the owed amount. She said fining them is optional.

“Presuming we have conducted an audit and you have a finding, there is interest associated with the collection,” she said. “There is a penalty part but we are not required to make them pay a penalty.”

Councilwoman Nancy Scagnelli agreed people can make mistakes and some businesses owners might need to be educated so they can comply in the future. “A lot of people don’t understand,” she said. “I don’t want to penalize people at this time and put them out of business.”
City Manager Tim Ernster said leniency is an option. “We can make it as lenient as possible by waiving a fine and creating a payment plan,” he said. Councilman Jerry Frey asked when was the last time the State audited anyone in Arizona for sales tax evasion.
Assistant City Manager Allison Zelms said in 2008 and 2009 there were two audits and only because complaints had been made to the State.“Then the State did not come out on its own,” Frey noted. Staff agreed. Ernster spoke of the possibility of an audit finding a business overpaid it sales tax. “There are times where the tax is over collected,” he said. “We have to pay them back with interest.”

Councilor Cliff Hamilton asked if a business can refuse a tax audit.
Filardo said they can’t refuse. “We can audit them,” she said.
Ernster said that licensing of business will also be a requirement.
“First we get the sales tax in place by budgeting money and beginning the audits in July,” he said. “Then we have all businesses acquire formal licenses. Then we work towards collecting sales taxes ourselves rather than the State. This will take a lot more work but hopefully we can begin by November at the earliest.”

Several business owners expressed concern that their financial information would become public knowledge to their competitors. Wishing to remain anonymous, one said he fears competitors would use this information against him. “Many service businesses negotiate various prices with their customers,” he said. “Competitors could use pricing and earnings information against each other. The City is trying to act like IRS. An easier way to do this is to determine if a business has a Sales Tax Transaction Privilege License where they could compare who is filing and who is not rather than intrude on law abiding businesses that are paying their taxes.”

Social Media Classes at Tlaquepaque

Sign up for a Social Media Class offered at Tlaquepaque by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. These classes will be held in the Tlaquepaque Ballroom on Monday, January 25th and Tuesday, January 26th at 5:00pm. If you are interested in attending this course, please contact the Tlaquepaque Management office at (928) 282-4838.

Social Media 3 Part Education Course

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce has created a three part social media education course for members interested in getting their names and business involved in social networking. The Chamber created the course based on popularity of Social Media topics from recent Strategies for Success workshops. This education course will offer hands on education in a smaller atmosphere for one on one learning. Attendees will be educated on social media, the best outlets to use, how to use them, sign up, start up, and operation. Attendees will come away with the tools and knowledge needed to engage in social media for their business.

Course 1:
Introduction to Social Media Outlets
Twitter
Facebook
Blogging
Which ones to use for your business
Sign up and create accounts
Terminology and user information
Make the best use of your time- social media is free but your time is not


Course 2:
Updates & Review
Identify your message and stick to it
Tools to use, search engines, applications, etc.
Who to follow on Twitter, attract attention on Facebook and get blog readers
When to tweet, @reply, direct message, or just listen
Policies and procedures to have outlined for social media use in your business
Who should tweet, post and blog? How many people should tweet, post and blog?

Course 3:
Updates & Review
Learning tools and resources
Spread your message quick
Examples of exposure, opportunities created, etc.
Discussion, information gained, question and answers, trouble shooting

Follow the Sedona Chamber of Commerce on Twitter @SedonaAZ. Check out our Facebook page- Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Also, read our blog: http://www.visitsedonablog.wordpress.com/. Course price is $135.00 per person or individual classes for $50.00 each.

Sedona Bridal Show this Sunday

Brides, engaged couples, corporations, wedding and event planners, destination management or anyone thinking about hosting/planning a Sedona event - this is for you! January 17, 2010 10:00 am to 4:00 pm beginning at Tlaquepaque (if you are not coming up from Phoenix in the limo busses). You will be shuttled between Tlaquepaque, L'Auberge and Amara by the Sedona Shuttle. Meet a variety of quality wedding and event vendors from Sedona and the surrounding area. Taste local cuisine, try fabulous cakes, enjoy the fragrance of exquisite floral designers and learn about the activities that Sedona offers. Brides can enter a drawing for a Fabulous Sedona Wedding w/gifts valued at more than $40,000! They'll see how affordable a fabulous Sedona wedding actually is, and meet the vendors that can help them create their dream wedding. For more information go to http://www.sedonabridalshow.com/or call Bobbie at 602-750-6517 or e-mail BobbieTWC@gmail.com.

Photo by: David Sunfellow Photography

Sedona Marathon Just Weeks Away

Join the Sedona Marathon's 5th year anniversary celebration, "Cinco de Marathon", on Saturday, February 6, 2010. The Pre-Race Expo will be held at Tlaquepaque on Friday, February 5, 2010 from 10 am to 8 pm during the race packet and bib pickup. Racers are required to check in person at the pickup and typically bring everyone they are traveling with. This equates to thousands of people at Tlaquepaque during this time. Additionally the Sedona Marathon is looking for donations of prizes in pairs of equal value for race winners of each category. Information obtained regarding prize donations on or before Friday, January 15th, 2010 will be listed in the awards ceremony program and all prize donations will be listed on the Sedona Marathon website.Businesses interested in participating in the Expo or donating prizes can email Tonya at tonya@4windsadventure.com. Visit www.sedonamarathon.com for further information on the Marathon.

ADOT Work Schedule for January 2010

A major milestone was reached last week when traffic was transitioned to the south portion of the new Oak Creek Bridge. Phase 2 of the demolition of the existing bridge is scheduled to begin next week—January 4, 2010. This is the last demolition needed to allow the remaining portion of the new Oak Creek Bridge to be constructed, and completely remove the old structures. The first phase of the bridge demolition (Phase 1) occurred in May of 2009 and included special provisions for removal of contaminants (lead paint) and debris. All demolition work has adhered to federal and state agency (EPA and ADEQ) guidelines and regulations.

Last spring, ADOT and the contractor applied for all applicable permits and submitted a detailed demolition plan for the Phase I demolition to the required agencies, and the demolition was performed with no impact to Oak Creek.

The Phase 2 demolition plan was approved by several federal and state agencies (including the removal of any hazardous materials) after performing site inspections for the proposed procedures. Once Phase 2 of the demolition is complete, the final drilled shafts and abutment 2 (west end) of the new Oak Creek Bridge can be completed.

ADOT and the contractor have implemented the same measures as in Phase 1 to ensure that demolition debris is not allowed to enter Oak Creek or to contaminate the riverbed. Any materials generated from the demolition activities will be removed from the creek banks for disposal. Upon completion of the new bridge, the floodplain area affected by construction activities will be rehabilitated to a more natural condition. Planting activities associated with this rehabilitation is expected to occur mid-summer 2010.

Traffic Restricted to One Lane at Night Between Canyon Drive and Morgan WashA 42” storm drain is being installed along SR 179 between Canyon Drive and Morgan Wash. Work that will necessitate restricting traffic to one lane will occur between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for approximately four weeks. Flaggers will direct traffic in this area.

Daytime activities between Canyon Drive and Morgan Wash Work progresses on both the uphill and downhill retaining walls. Short duration traffic restrictions to one lane will occasionally be necessary for up to 10-minutes during wall form setting, and for equipment and truck access to the work area. Please plan your travels accordingly.

Project Success: Traffic Transitioned to Portion of New BridgeLast week, all traffic was transitioned onto the south portion of the new bridge.