All’s well at Carefree council meeting
by Jim Crawford

CAREFREE – No smoke, no fireworks, no heated tempers. It’s all good.

 Carefree Town Council met for its monthly meeting Feb. 6 without any visible signs of the recent rancor between some members.        

Councilmen Bob Coady and Gary Hayward had exchanged some heated words during a December meeting, prompting Coady to file a restraining order against Hayward. A judge initially ordered Hayward to stay at least 25 feet away from Coady, prompting the two to change their council seating arrangements to comply with the order. Although that judge recently dismissed the restraining order, the feuding councilmen still maintain a clear distance from each other.

The flap garnered local headlines and was the talk of the town.

Mayor Ed Morgan called the meeting to order and proceeded to address items on the agenda.

Mike Tibbett, chief building official for the town, was called upon to present a proposal for an amendment to the current building codes in order to establish a completion date for various structures.

Tibbett said there have been complaints from citizens whose neighbors take far too long to finish additions to their homes.

“Some time limits need to be set for some of these add‑ons,” Tibbett said. “Four years to complete a 1,000‑square‑foot addition is way too long. We would like to see building permits renewed after a certain time. If they expire, then they’d have to be renewed.”

The proposal was unanimously approved by the council.

Council also approved a proposal calling for the development of a 24‑acre parcel at the northeast corner of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway to be known as Black Mountain Estates.

Discussion followed on a proposed addition and improvements to the town’s water reservoir site, 39021 Silver Saddle Road, at Cow Track Estates. Concerns were raised as to the effect an additional holding tank would have on the surrounding neighborhood.

Officials said the additional tank is necessary and will provide a backup water supply in case of emergency. Also, it would allow periodic maintenance on existing tanks without any interruption of service.

A landscaping budget of $25,000 has been set aside for the addition of trees around the perimeter of the reservoir area to block the tanks from neighbors’ view. The money is to be paid by Carefree Water Company, officials said.

The mayor then announced a donation from the town to the Rebecca R. Gallegos Children’s Fund. The fund was established to  help defray mounting expenses for Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy Emilio Lopez, 26, who has taken custody of the six Gallegos children since the death of their mother in a hit‑and‑run accident late last year.

Lopez has been a deputy in the North Valley for the past two years, and Rebecca Gallegos was his sister.

No one opposed the proposed donation, and Capt. Barry Rasko, MCSO district commander, thanked the council.

Reach the reporter at jcrawford@thedesertadvocate.com.