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Council debates economic diversification, considers expanding service contracts to support local nonprofits
Summary
Councilors split on elevating economic diversification from a planning lens to a formal priority while staff offered a path for exploring entrepreneurship, broadband and tourism resilience. Members also signaled preliminary support for moving Sedona Food Bank and Hope House through the city’s service‑contract review, pending fiscal details.
Sedona councilors spent a large portion of the retreat on Dec. 17 debating whether economic development and diversification should be an elevated priority or treated as a crosscutting ‘‘lens’’ for existing work. Tony, the city’s community development/economic director, described ‘‘economic infrastructure’’ steps — broadband, regulatory streamlining and support for entrepreneurs — as practical levers the city can use to nudge diversification over time.
"Diversification may not be a 50/50 split — it might be 90/10 at first — but building the infrastructure makes us ready if new opportunities arise," Tony said during the discussion.
Some counc…
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