As election season approaches, Melissa Dunn and other five Sedona City Council candidates answered questions about their goals in the position and vision for the city. The six candidates are running for three four-year openings on the council.
Q: How long have you lived in Sedona?
My husband George and I bought our home [in Sedona] over 13 years ago. We have lived here permanently for over a year.
Q: What do you or did you do for a living?
I have had an extensive career in technology — Microsoft, Amazon, Sears Digital, Sainsbury’s Argos. I have led large teams focusing on understanding and solving consumer problems. And I occasionally run hatha, yin and restorative yoga classes for friends and family.
Q: Where in Sedona do you spend the most time?
I live in West Sedona and given the traffic issues going into Uptown and SR179, I typically hang out in the same area. We often walk our dogs to Whole Foods using the Sunrise trail and for miles on the Soldier’s Wash trail system.
Q: How else have you been involved in the Sedona community [other than running for office]?
I recently joined Sedona Residents Unite as many of the causes on which they strive to educate residents, government officials and visitors are ones which focus on bringing change to our community and live up to the visions in the 2020 and beyond Community Plan.
Q: What do you believe are the most important values to Sedona residents?
In no order, but all of which derive from the current rate of over-tourism:
n Reviving and sustaining our sense of community.
n Protecting our natural resources from water to open community spaces to the red rocks.
n Reducing the negative impact of adventure over-tourism on our community, from ecological destruction, pollution, traffic congestion, affordable housing shortages to loss of dark sky opportunities.
Q: What are Sedona’s top three issues right now?
Many of our issues — traffic, parking, loss of sense of community — stem from non-sustainable adventure tourism. The other issues arise from the current state laws and U.S. Forest Service policies.
I would say our issues are:
- Non-sustainable growth of adventure tourism.
- Impact of state laws creating loss of community and affordable workforce housing.
- Impact of USFS policies on the surrounding microbiomes.
Q: What do you feel is the City Council’s biggest responsibility to the residents?
Any city government should be focused on the sustainability of the community it serves. Where sustainability goes beyond natural resources — water, land, air — to include the economic and social resources. Many of the projects before the council have the right focus, but many seem to have a visitor perspective rather than a resident perspective.
Q: Why are you running for City Council?
I love Sedona. I love the people, the red rocks, the art, the music, the quirky vibe — all of it. I am a problem-solver. I believe we can achieve the vision for Sedona created in the last Community Plan for a connected green and sustainable community. I have the skills, commitment and experience in problem-solving to get us there.
