Fake City of Sedona Workgroup Scam

Sedona workgroups lack transparency. And the invite of public awareness. There is no agendas, no meeting notes, or meetings that the public can attend. The city manager gets to pick and choose who’s on each and every group. A fake city workgroup was disclosed by going through city emails. This fake group met at City Hall every month and had a pile of non-residents NGO’s that were members.

This fake group had access to all city staff and City Council could come and go as they chose. It was a secret hidden group that basically put together the Sonoma Community planned on land use and housing. Members of this group are also included people that were in political action committees that campaigned for city funding and were in a war for home rule.

Fake city workgroup created the land use and housing community plan while insulting residents with staff and elected officials’ knowledge. Revealed through public request by Bill Noonan.

Prior to workgroups the city operated under the standard format commissions, committees and boards. All missions and members were empowered by the City Council. The city policy had always allowed Mayor and Vice Mayor appointed without a cc vote until recently. In a city council meeting other city council members stated they wanted to be able to vote on this. I am assuming the policy was changed.

When the staff proposed going to the workgroup format, I thought they would be moving to a QTM program. I actually supported and spoke at a council meeting on behalf of this. Since I had years of experience as a plant manager (medical devices) I knew of the successes and benefits of such a program. Not only did I operate with QTM, I taught and helped other companies implement.

When I learned the groups operated under NO transparency, no records, agendas, no units of measure I spoke up. When I learned and witnessed non-residents, NGOs, businesses interests, city staffers and elected officials being dominate players I knew this would widen the gap between government and residents.

Speeding forward the lines for the groups have deeply been blurred. I have done analytic review and operate with data-driven metrics. The program has moved to an extreme harmful hateful position.

We have private “grassroots” groups driving the city masquerading as a city workgroup. Staff and elected officials are part of this group. A city staffer was fired after Bill Noonan disclosed the toxic emails sent back and forth between the group.

In order to understand more, I requested emails from a few groups.

It is beyond shocking and extremely disappointing seeing the mayor elected officials email names on such emails. The membership distribution is off the scale with over 93% of members being NGO’s, business interests, city staff and elected officials.

As reported in the news Sedona is way past toxic levels, imo. The toll of not working under Total Quality Management programs is extremely apparent. Without data governance, metrics-driven performance management, and stakeholder engagement programs Sedona will continue down the same path.