Does Tempe Mayor Hallman have a conflict of interest here? Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman lives right across the street from Tempe's Papago Park and right across the street or better said right across the crosscut canal from Phoenix's Papago Park at this address.
2011 CAMPO ALLEGRE DRAlso there are a number of other properties in that very same area that appear to be owned either by Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman or his relatives. This raises a question is it a conflict of intrest for Mayor Hallman to try and raise millions of dollars to improve the Phoenix and Tempe Papago Parks because it will raise the value of homes he owns nearby? Collaboration may put Papago Park on par with Central Park by Dianna M. Náñez - Jan. 24, 2009 07:00 AM The Arizona Republic A collaboration involving three Valley cities and a Native American community could put Papago Park on a par with New York City's Central Park or San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. While some public projects, especially those needing the blessing of multiple government agencies, often run out of steam before they ever reach fruition, the stars seem to have aligned behind plans to revamp the Papago area. A $576,897 bill for a consultant to assess the more than 1,500 acres of central desert land bordering Scottsdale and sprawling over Phoenix and Tempe would be a lofty goal, even in brighter economic times. But Tempe, Phoenix and Scottsdale, the cities leading the Papago Park effort, can thank Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community for covering more than half of the consultant fee. The Native American community awarded Tempe a $100,000 grant in 2007 and Phoenix two grants totaling $284,000 to develop a Papago Park master plan. That plan would involve developing a Web site for public input, looking at the area's natural resources and facilities, studying the culture and historical ties dating to ancient times when the Hohokam Indians cultivated the land and balancing the area's future development with preservation and educational efforts. The remainder of the funding is coming from $100,000 in Tempe bond funds and Phoenix is assessing a $100,000 contribution. As for the ability for three often rival cities to work together? That miracle could actually be attributed to the albatross most municipalities are citing as their No. 1 problem - the economy. With Phoenix facing historic budget cuts to the tune of $270 million and Tempe and Scottsdale mired in multimillion-dollar revenue shortages, the Valley cities have motive to partner on public projects. Even Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon - a pair of city leaders who hail from opposite sides of the political aisle and have a history of treating one another to occasional verbal lashings - are on the same page. "It's certainly the cultural aspect of Papago Park that is really what brings us together," Hallman said. "This asset (the park) rivals the amenities seen in Balboa Park in San Diego, Lincoln Park in Chicago. It's been our failure not to ... honor the value of Papago Park." While the bulk of the park, about 1,200 acres, is within Phoenix limits, the city considers itself equal partners with Tempe, Scottsdale, the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, as well with the businesses and non-profits, namely the Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix Zoo and Arizona Historical Society Museum,that lease park land. "We want similar things," said Kathi Reichert, deputy director of Phoenix parks and recreation. "We're looking at the culture aspect of it, the preservation and archeological pieces and the recreation. Papago is so centrally located . . . it's really a regional jewel." The primary financial backer, the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community is pleased to see the cities working together and hopes planning the future of Papago Park provides a chance for Arizonans and the nation to learn more about its past. "These are sites that are not just important to the Indian community . . . they are important to the state," Salt River Councilman Ricardo Leonard said. "This history is what ties us together as Arizonans." Leonard said he envisions a Papago Park that improves its preservation efforts and provides additional educational components.
Grants to upgrade Papago Park amenities By:Brianna Mattox Published On:Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Three Valley cities and a local American Indian community are making plans to expand and enhance the amenities within Papago Park. City leaders from Tempe, Scottsdale, Phoenix and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community are coming together to preserve Papago Park, the historic 1,200-acre land adjacent to Tempe Town Lake. In 2007, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community gave a $100,000 grant to Tempe and two grants to Phoenix to develop a project plan for Papago Park. With the funding, Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said the next step is to sit down and develop the plan. “Given how compelling the case is for Papago Park, I’m not surprised we finally got to a point of awarding contracts for a consultant to help us do this,” Hallman said. “But I‘d be lying if I didn’t tell you I’m surprised it took us this long to get here.” Hallman said the cities have allowed the park to deteriorate because people don’t view it as something as “holistic” as Central Park in New York City or San Diego’s Balboa Park. Plant life and the fragile desert crust are just two elements of the park that are being destroyed because people walk on and ride their horses there, when they do not realize it is actually historic, sacred land, Hallman said. “This is an amenity that we can brag about, not just around this country but across the globe,” Hallman said. “It’s one of the great urban parks in the world, and we’ve just done a terrible job [of] protecting it and displaying it well.” No specific details for upgrade dates were available, but city leaders are sitting down to discuss the plans. Currently the Phoenix Zoo, Botanical Gardens and five museums — including the Arizona Historical Museum and a military historical museum — are modern elements and amenities within Papago Park. Hallman said rehabilitating the park’s lakes, getting better trail systems and a sensible archery range, will be some of the updates. “We want the park to be seen more holistically,” Hallman said. The upgrade will add economic value to the region by driving tourist dollars and also making the museum and other amenities immensely successful, he said. Hallman began the project in August 2004 when he and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon were asked to give the welcoming comments to the Historic Preservation Officers conference at ASU. Hallman was approached at around the same time to discuss the possibilities of Papago Park, and thus created the Papago Park Advisory Board. For the Arizona centennial in 2012, Hallman and leaders decided to take the opportunity to rehabilitate and protect the park, rather than build a monument in commemoration of the celebration. Kris Baxter, marketing director for the city of Tempe, said Papago is a huge park and a huge opportunity for the city residents and leaders to tie in all of the elements of the communities. “[Papago Park] encourages the vitality as well, not only for the beauty it brings but also the tourism opportunities in our community and also continues to preserve our natural environment and our historic buildings,” Baxter said. Reach the reporter at brianna.mattox@asu.edu. |