GVCCC begins year with new executive director

Sandi Richey attended her first Green Valley Community Coordinating Council meeting as its new executive director, replacing Joyce Finkelstein, who retired on Dec. 31.

Tom Ward, special assistant to Pima County District 4 Supervisor Ray Carroll, spoke about a 3-to-2 vote held on Jan. 5 in favor of implementing a one-year trial radar program to deter speeding.

Cameras will record license plate numbers of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 10 miles and over, and tickets will be issued by mail. Drivers will be unaware of a speeding violation and that their license plate number has been recorded. Caution is advised.

Ward also spoke about a letter Carroll sent to the director of the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Los Angeles, Calif., reiterating his strong opposition to allowing development of a limestone quarry in Davidson Canyon in Pima County.

Citing eight basic reasons the two agencies should deny permits to Arizona/California Portland Cement for the purpose of excavating limestone, Carroll wrote, “As the County Supervisor representing this area, I can assure you that the vast majority of our citizens are greatly disturbed by the imminent threat to this pristine place. A limestone quarry in this location would be an aesthetic and environmental disaster.”

In his president’s report, Stan Riddle said the Arizona Legislature is proposing three changes to homeowner association bylaws. One change proposes that once a golf course or greenbelt has been designated as such, it cannot be converted as homeowners paid premiums for such view lots.

The other two changes focus on regulating the size of For Sale signs in HOAs and standardizing the percentage of homeowners required to make a change to bylaws.

Second Vice President Kathy Simpson said AARP will be holding a driving class on Jan. 14 and 15 at Valley Presbyterian Church. The class is open to all residents for a fee of $10. Anyone interested, should call the church at 625-5023.

Also scheduled is a GVCCC Health Fair on Feb. 4 from 8 a.m. to noon at the West Center that will follow the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo.

Executive Director Richey said residents with fruit trees who would like to donate fruit to the Food Bank may call the food bank at 625-5252 and volunteers will come out to do the picking.

She said Feb. 7 has been designated as “Beat Back Bufflegrass” Day. For information on the closest location to volunteer to help remove bufflegrass, residents should go to www.pagnet.org.

Tom Six, a Pima County District 4 Bond Committee adviser, spoke about a potential 2009 Bond Referendum. After some discussion, board members said they were in favor of a bond referendum because many projects have been postponed for years and it would help the local and state economy by hiring workers.

Six said Green Valley voters approved the last bond election, but the economy was different then; he said that County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry is not in favor of a 2009 bond election due to the economy.

If approved, Riddle said, “The bond project needs to be marketed very, very well.”

The list of proposed bond projects includes 14 items.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.