Citizens Budget Working Group backs most provider requests, flags implementation gaps on several packages

The Citizens Budget Working Group (CBWG) presented its recommendations to Sedona City Council on April 15, supporting most community service provider requests while flagging transparency and implementation concerns for select asks.

Ed Kettler introduced the work group's findings and said members were impressed with many provider presentations but wanted more implementation detail where requests included capital upgrades or service expansions. Jolene Pearson, who led the CBWG session on providers, said the group fully supported requests from Hope House of Sedona and the Sedona Public Library (with a suggested $150,000 one‑time match concept), and recommended partial or conditional support for other providers. "We were overall impressed with everybody," Pearson summarized, while noting some applications lacked cost transparency.

The CBWG recommended support for Verde Valley Caregivers and Sedona Recycles' operating requests but recommended against certain one‑time capital asks (for example, some Sedona Community Center capital work and parts of the Historical Societypackaging) where the group felt alternatives or better bids were needed. Doug Copp, board president of Sedona Recycles, told the council that a new baler and installation cost roughly $340,000 and asked for a $50,000 replenishment of reserves to maintain operations amid weak commodity markets.

Why it matters: CBWG reviews feed directly into council decisions about community service funding and decision packages. The group asked for more standardized packet formats and additional Q&A time to evaluate ROI and implementation plans; council members agreed to consider the recommendations and staff said they would work with providers to address questions ahead of final budget action.