Oro Valley activist group Tee’d Off filed 3,158 signatures on a referendum petition Thursday.
The group needed at least 1,148 signatures, said leader Shirl Lamonna.
The group, which brought Republicans and Democrats together, became Tee’d Off after the Town Council approved a deal to buy El Conquistador country club and golf courses for $1 million. Last month’s 4-3 council vote came just a couple of weeks after the deal was first made public. The town’s plan is to renovate the fixer-upper country club and turn it into a recreation center.
“Now we have a voice, and let’s just hope that our council recognizes the value of gaining community support through complete transparency and avoids the appearance of secret dealings going forward,” Lamonna said at a news conference in front of Town Hall.
The group wants the acquisition to go to the ballot for a full public vote, perhaps as early as May.
Here’s what will happen next:
• The town clerk will make sure the petition meets legal requirements and then will select a random sample of signatures to send to the Pima County recorder’s office.
• The recorder’s office will make sure the signers are registered voters, said voter registrar Chris Roads. After that, an election would be scheduled.
Signature collector Chet Oldakowski said it was easy to gather the signatures. He said most of the signers walked up to his table at the library and said, “Where do I sign?”
Debra Arrett, who collected signatures in the Sun City neighborhood, said the town’s residents want a community center, but the plan to turn the country club into a community center doesn’t meet the residents’ needs and residents don’t want the town to get into the golf business.
The country club deal also included a half-cent sales tax increase to pay for renovations, but the tax won’t be part of the ballot question. Lamonna said she hopes the Town Council will revisit the tax hike at its meeting next week.
