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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
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This Week
Cave Creek - Carefree Area Edition
NEWS ................. 8
FEATURES ........ 20 Hidden in the Hills artist studio tours return
FEATURES ........ 25 Arizona Musicfest returns with 30 live indoor concerts
OPINION ................... 12 FEATURES ................ 19 CLASSIFIEDS ............ 30 2
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Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Financing �ire protection creates heat BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Cave Creek native serves in Navy’s ‘Silent Service’
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Serving the communities of Cave Creek and Carefree
Cave Creek discussed the immediate and long-term �inancing options for its newly formed �ire services with recommendations from an economic consultant and comments from council members and residents during the Oct. 18 town council meeting. The town of�icially started leasing a �ire station as of Oct. 18 and recently hired 15 full-time staff members to operate the station. The goal is to have it fully operational by early January. The �ire department’s upfront costs are covered by the town’s general fund, but there has been disagreement — primarily between town staff and residents — over the long-term �inancing. While there are a few options on the table, town staff is con-
sidering implementing a small property tax in addition to a slight raise in sales tax to ensure funds are available for �ire services in 10 to 20 years. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Ford has helped the town develop �ire services for about a year. He said while people may argue over how to get there, everyone he heard from has supported it. “It’s important for everybody to note that I’ve consistently received positive response from the community related to the need to make the changes and the need to improve the services,” he said. “No matter what we agree or disagree on, that’s been pretty consistent. I haven’t run into anybody yet that says, ‘Stop, don’t do this.’ Everybody has been saying, ‘Yeah, this is a good idea.’ I believe the majority of residents understand that it’s time for the town
and its residents to initiate some type of new system that will support the emergency needs of this community as it continues to grow.” Jim Rounds is president of Rounds Consulting Group and frequent adviser to policymakers at the state capitol as well as throughout the state. The town hired him to take a deeper look at the �inancial options for those long-term expenditures. At the Oct. 18 town council meeting, he presented a detailed breakdown of those options to the council and members of the public. “There’s no right or wrong on a lot of these things,” Rounds said. “In some cases, somebody might just say, ‘I don’t want to have a property tax,’ or, ‘I don’t want to have
North Valley’s restaurant business died Oct. 9 at age 73 due to complications from COVID-19. “Keeler Hospitality Group is heartbroken to announce the passing of their founder and CEO, Paul Keeler,” the organization said in a statement. “Paul was a beloved restaurateur with deep roots in the Cave Creek/Carefree
and Scottsdale communities. His impact on his team members and guests will be treasured for a lifetime to come. Paul’s larger-than-life personality, unwavering faith in God and kind spirit of hospitality will be missed by all who knew him.” Keeler founded the Keeler Hospitality
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Paul Keeler remembered as ‘beloved’ BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
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aul Keeler will be remembered during a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 8, at Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. The well-known and beloved face in the
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