‘Activists’ (Okay Sure)
By John G. Ford | January 28, 2009
I want to start this reply to My View of January 7, 2009 by saying you are right on, Don, with your comments with regard to the ‘Activists’ in Cave Creek.
I want to provide a little history lesson from someone who has grown up in this great town of Cave Creek. I moved here in 1970 with my beloved parents from Pittsburgh, Penn. at the age of 10, attended school here and have stayed here all my life because I too love this town more than anywhere in the United States.
I support the form of government we have which is a Manager – Council form and that means Manager is the Executive Branch in charge of running normal activities in the daily affairs of Cave Creek by making sure the town is in the best possible position during these very uncertain times. Council is the Legislative Branch making the laws and changing them if they like. Council is not a micro-manager who has to approve everything the Executive
Branch decides, as this is not the form of government I am proud we have in place.
First, if these so called ‘Activists’ understood the process instead of constantly trying to undermine the process we would be moving in a more positive direction. The Manager and staff of this town work hard to do what is in the best interest of Cave Creek, even when decisions are not easy to make. They have the best interest of Cave Creek Citizens like myself in mind when they try to complete the difficult tasks in front of them. I do not agree with all of the decisions they make but I agree with the way they make them. They follow the rules and laws of the town even if the ‘Activists’ don’t agree or believe this.
Second, Cave Creek Mayor Francia and most of the council understand the form of government we have and take on the tasks in front of them in an honorable and efficient fashion, even if these decisions do not always meet with what I personally think is the right one for the town. That is why I voted for them and by doing that I gave them the right to make decisions for me. Most of our council members understand Cave Creek’s form of government and complete their job effectively and positively. Unfortunately we do have a council member, or two, in this group who are not sure how this form of government works, wasting everyone’s time and good efforts to move forward in very serious financial times. In this case, this council member, or two, lets the “Activists” direct every decision and slows down a process or tries to cause a delay for very unworthy reasons.
I want to see this town continue to operate in the best way possible and I wish these so called “Activists” would start to support the great town of Cave Creek of which I am proud to be a resident. I have no problem with citizens voicing their opinion but when they voice negativity about everything the Town Manager and his very talented staff do this is a disgrace and something I can not and will not sit quietly on the sideline and watch.
It is time Cave Creek does whatever is required to increase the commercial areas of town. We need to support and do anything possible to accelerate the annexation to the west, not try and cause a delay just to prove a citizen can cause delays. It is time we as citizens try and assist our government through these uncertain times, and not constantly try to undermine the efforts of our very capable Executive Branch and the leadership of the majority of the good Legislative Branch we have in place.
If this is not a job they feel they can complete then I am sure excited to see an election coming in a very few months. I am not going to sit on the sidelines and watch our town die while these so-called do-gooders constantly work to cause delays just because they can. I will voice my opinions and hope others in this great Town of Cave Creek do the same. The ‘Activists’ do not represent all of us even if they sometimes think they do. This town needs to move forward in a cautious but positive fashion, and we need to support our commercial areas and not defeat them as some seem to want to do.
This is my opinion only but I bet I am not alone!