City of Tucson Development Military Style

It is well known in the Armed Forces that if you cannot keep the latrines clean, you cannot get promoted!

It is a delight to see the City align itself with the the novel, “Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” It is all about attention to detail.

One day the tiles along the esplanade between La Placita and Hotel Arizona will get some Rio money too.  They have been on the deferred maintenance list for awhile.

While managing La Placita in the 1980’s, I wrote out a work order to fix those tiles in May of 1983!

All good things come to those who wait.

 

 

 

Council Member Steve Kozachik
Ward 6
Contact: Steve Kozachik Date: 04/09/2012
Ward 6 Council Member TDD: 791-2639
(520) 791-4601
Ward6@tucsonaz.gov
On Thursday of last week the Rio Nuevo Board voted to approve a Memorandum of Understanding that
suggests they are willing to fund certain restroom improvements at the TCC. That is a welcomed step.
And yet, the MOU unnecessarily opens several issues and creates some very large concerns:
1. Rio makes their offer contingent on the City upgrading the bleachers – we voted to do that a month
ago. We’re doing that with or without the Board participating.
2. Rio suggests that the City fund ADA issues – why would you agree to upgrade restroom facilities,
but split out a portion of the work that needs to be done? Simply make the needed improvements
to the facility, which Rio owns.
3. Rio ties the I-10 parcel of land owned by the City to this MOU. It is stated that we are to include
both Rio and owners of “private property” adjacent to the facility in conversations about how to
develop that parcel. Would those ‘private property’ owners be somebody Rio has specifically in
mind, with a specific intent? What’s the deal behind the deal they have in mind?
4. Two of the Rio Board members participated in a very transparent process that involved the award
of an RFP for the development of that parcel – negotiations for which were placed on hold when
Rio sued the City. Are we simply flushing that entire selection process and negotiation away?
5. The December 2010 Term Sheets that were agreed to by Rio included a settlement related to this
parcel of ground that runs contrary to what is now included in the current MOU.
I am pleased to see that Rio has found $1M to begin to do the work needed on the TCC. Let’s move that
idea along without conflating other non-germane issues that can only serve to confuse the simple goal of
improving the TCC.
But, it is just as important to stop any “closed door” negotiations. That keeps all of us accountable,
whether we are elected or simply appointed.
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