With the 2020 election season in full swing, Holli Ploog and other candidates for the Sedona City Council were asked a variety of questions about themselves as well as why they’re running.

Q: How long have you lived in Sedona?

My husband Bert and I have lived in Sedona since 2013, having first visited as tourists in the winter of 1993. When we were deciding on a retirement location, the red rocks called out to us and we couldn’t resist.

Q: What did you do for a living?

I was a senior executive in the infor­mation technology industry specializing in government trans­formation and coali­tion-building. I worked closely with local, state and federal govern­ment officials and spent a number of years working outside the U.S. based in London. Health care, social services, justice and public safety, transportation and financial services were the areas within government where I focus-ed. Implementing change is never easy and many of the trans­formational programs we implemented required community engagement, collabo­ration and transparent communications.

Q: What do you enjoy most about living in Sedona?

Of course, I love our natural beauty and land­scape. I also love the people of Sedona who are welcoming, inclusive, collaborative, supportive and have a strong sense of volunteerism. I am dedicated to the Rotary principle of service above self. My dedication to serving the community has been demonstrated through leadership as president of the Sedona Arts Center, past president of the Rotary Club of Sedona, past president of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking Northern Arizona, board member of the Sedona Women and recipient of the 2018 Spirit of Sedona Volunteer of the Year Award. Finally, I am passionate about arts and culture and appreciate that creative energy is a hallmark of Sedona.

Q: Do you have any hobbies or interests?

I am an avid reader, traveler, mentor, orga­nizer, community volunteer and swimmer. I am also an advocate of staying healthy, supporting nonprofits focused on adult isolation, food security programs and organizations committed to achieving a sustainable community.

Q: Why are you running for Sedona City Council?

Sedona has been called the most beautiful place on earth, yet we face many challenges in the next few years to keep its magic alive. I am running for city council to provide hands-on leadership in addressing our most pressing issues: Affordable housing for workers and families, short term rentals, traffic and transportation, diminishing water resources and envi­ronmental vulnerability, financial management and increased benefits to residents.

Q: How will you help lead the city through the current COVID-19 pandemic?

There are many posi­tive shifts occurring from the COVID-19 pandemic despite its devastation. In our community we are seeing acts of profound kindness and compas­sion with residents sewing masks and gowns for essen­tial workers; increased volunteerism and monetary donations to nonprofits; outreach to isolated indi­viduals providing contact, comfort and services; appre­ciation of our natural envi­ronment through weekly cleaning of Oak Creek Canyon; and providing free books to children staying at home who are without access to libraries. The giving spirit of our resi­dents surrounds us and I would encourage these acts of kindness to continue.

We also have many chal­lenges ahead of us which will require leadership from the city councilors. I have served on two impor­tant fiscal workgroups for the city, Citizen Budget Workgroup and Fiscal Sustainability Workgroup, which make me well quali­fied for the role. Because I thoroughly understand the city’s finances, there will be no learning curve once I am elected.

Our upcoming fiscal year budget has many financial assumptions on city reve­nues, which are currently projected to have a $10 million negative impact due to the coronavirus. While the city has been financially conservative in managing its revenues the past few years and is in an excellent position to withstand this level of revenue shortfall, it is still too early to know the length and full extent of the economic impact of the virus.

The city will need to implement strategies to mitigate revenue losses requiring council to make adjustments to its priori­ties while maintaining city services and keeping momentum on important projects and issues the community supports. Sedona does not have a property tax, therefore, largely relies on sales and bed taxes to fund its operations. We have the opportunity to rethink tourism and our recovery strategies.

I feel particularly well suited to be a leader in this environment, having worked with governments for over 30 years in enabling the continued provision of services to citizens in finan­cially constrained environ­ments despite whatever disruptions they face.

Q: Aside from COVID- 19, what do you feel are the next three biggest issues facing Sedona?

I would have answered this question differently six months ago. Given our current situation, the three biggest issues facing Sedona from my perspec­tive are: Taking advantage of this time of disruption to set a new vision for the future of Sedona; healing the community polariza­tion exacerbated by the pandemic; and the lack of economic diversity creating our singular reliance on tourism.

Let’s set aside our differences and view this time as an opportunity for collective action. We can proactively work together by reinventing how our city functions to be more envi­ronmentally, socially and economically resilient.