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Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Cave Creek discusses fire protection plans BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Bradley James Tobias was well loved by Anthem residents
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he looming threat of the next possible wildland fire prompted the Cave Creek Town Council to discuss its plan for establishing emergency fire protection services to protect everyone’s safety. “Look at what we lost this last year,” Mayor Ernie Bunch said during the meeting. “This not a thing that we can afford to put our people through.” The council was presented with options and corresponding estimated costs and benefits during a town council meeting on Feb. 16. Jim Ford, city of Scottsdale deputy chief and fire marshal, led the presentation. Ford played a major role in the creation
of the Scottsdale Fire Department and has been working directly for the town “on loan” offering his expertise to help explore ways of establishing contemporary fire services for Cave Creek. The town approved an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Scottsdale in November which allowed Ford to offer his assistance in exchange for the town paying his current salary and benefits. Ford’s presentation was a “preliminary overview” of the findings of his investigations after speaking with many numerous fire districts about the town’s potential options. He mentioned how many of these surrounding fire districts have voiced major concerns about Cave Creek’s lack of established fire and emergency medical services.
Most councilmembers favored the option of the town contracting fire and emergency services from the Regional Automatic Aid System, which would provide the most extensive and reliable services. This was only a council discussion, however. No action was taken during this meeting. Around 30 other jurisdictions in the surrounding area participate in the automatic aid system, Ford said. This system ensures residents’ fire and medical emergencies are responded to as quickly as possible by having its computer dispatch system select whichever unit is in the closest proximity, regardless of what original jurisdiction it serves.
Bridge-Denzak during a recent town council meeting. With that in mind, the town has considered how the new law will affect its residents and how it should be applied within its ordinances, she said. This prompted the discussion to amend the Carefree Town Code “to protect the health, safety, and welfare” of residents by only allowing dual-licensed medical dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana.
If approved, this ordinance means recreational marijuana dispensaries will not be a part of Carefree’s future, only marijuana dispensaries licensed to sell medical and recreational products. “We thought we need to do something,” Bridge-Denzak said while leading the presentation. “We don’t want to just wait and see what happens as licenses are approved
see FIRE page 4
Carefree seeks to ban recreational dispensaries
BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
W
hile 60% of Arizona’s voters approved Proposition 207 in November, Carefree’s voters were on the fence about the state allowing the recreational use, sale and possession of marijuana for anyone 21 and older. Carefree’s Proposition 207 voting results showed residents were “almost split 50/50,” said Planning Director Stacey
see DISPENSARIES page 5
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