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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

ED FOSTER AND SUPPORTERS BRAVE WIND AND POLICE HARASSMENT...


As expected, "Quartzsite" Charlie Kukral split the reform vote, forcing a run off between incumbent "mayor" Wes Huntley and Ed Foster.

http://www.co.la-paz.az.us/Data_Folder/Elections/TOQ_2010/TOQ_30910_unofficial_results-1.htm

It looks like Foster will win by a landslide if Kukral's frustrated supporters fall in line behind the only viable (and educated) candidate. Yellow and red "Ed Foster for Mayor" signs seemed to be blowing in the icy wind all over Town, and at the polls, while signs showing support for the status quo were noticeably few and far between. Ed Foster and a group of supporters with signs for Foster, Hamilton and Moore, as well as "NO INCUMBENTS" were harassed repeatedly by Police Chief Jeff Gilbert (reportedly at the behest of the election sergeant). A source stated that Gilbert was later instructed to run off the protesters by Town Manager Alex Taft, or at least that's what allegedly came over the police scanner. Gilbert's bluff was called and the frustrated Chief was forced to back down by Elections Board Supervisor Donna Hale because the crowd was peaceably and legally assembled 75 feet from the door. Officers Yeomans and Star were assigned by Chief Gilbert to babysit the assembled reform supporters - bill to the taxpayers for about 8 hours...and the polls closed at 7pm without incident.

Final score: Free Speech 1 - Gilbert's "gestapo" tactics 0

The race for council seats was tight with only Jose "I did my homework" Lizarraga securing enough 50% +1 or more votes to keep his seat. (Imagine how well he might have done if his name had been marketed independently of the PAC funded election banners which touted an all incumbent ticket.)

Incumbents Patricia Anderson, Bob Kelley and Jerry Lukkasson will face top vote winning opposition candidates Chaunce Hamilton, Russell Sias and Bill Moore in the May run off.

Papers were filed to recall sitting councilpersons Joe Winslow and Barbara Cowell...

More election coverage here:

http://www.quartzsitenews.tv/

The evening was capped off with another drama filled meeting of the current Town Council. Holt Engineering Group and Kennedy Jenks tried to shake down the Town for more money on the contract for waste water treatment expansion. Perhaps feeling the pressure to please voters in the upcoming run off, the Council said "nay" to throwing more money into a project that has already cost taxpayers about a half million.

When Michael Roth tried to give input during "discussion"on a grant proposal for digital dashboard cameras placed on the agenda by Police Chief Gilbert, the packed room witnessed the Police Chief motion to "mayor" Huntley to cut him off by drawing his finger repeatedly across his throat. Huntley responded by ordering the Chief to physically remove Roth from the PUBLIC MEETING! All of this was caught on video...Since we are all pretty sure the "mayor" can't spell l-i-t-i-g-a-t-i-o-n, he may be surprised when their legal blunder comes back to haunt them. See:

http://www.youtube.com/user/qnewseditor#p/u/0/zxFwgxLOTcQ

http://www.justice.gov/crt/crim/241fin.php

In another fiscally irresponsible move, the council unanimously approved renewing a contract with Town Manager Alexandra Taft's "charity" Willpower Inc. for animal shelter services.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/AZ294.html

It's no accident this website uses "Town of Quartzsite" and "Willpower Incorporated" interchangeably. Alex Taft runs them both. Can you say "conflict of interest"?
Although "discussion" pointed out that the contract requires the TOWN to provide a "certified" animal control officer, Ms. Graft, I mean Taft sidestepped potential cost issues by saying that her "no kill" shelter volunteer was certified in euthanasia. Taft and Council members ignored concerns that the length of the Willpower contract would encompass not only the current cobbled together "temporary" facility, but roll over into a planned future facility of undetermined expense.

It is a matter of public record that the original Willpower "Membership Invitation" states:

"We are negotiating with the Bureau of Land Management to lease land for a large, permanent facility."

The Town Council are on record discussing purchasing land for the animal shelter and a rodeo grounds at the east end of Town. And that the BLM representative discussed the upcoming land AUCTION, tentatively set to take place in a year or so...the real question to taxpayers is:

HOW MUCH OF YOUR MONEY HAVE TAFT AND THE INCUMBENTS EARMARKED FOR THE TOWN MANAGER'S DREAM "NO KILL" SHELTER, WHILE THEY CURRENTLY PAY THE COUNTY TO KILL QUARTZSITE'S PETS?

12 comments:

  1. Election Summary Report
    LA PAZ COUNTY
    CONSOLIDATED ELECTIONS
    MARCH 9, 2010
    Summary For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races
    TOWN OF QUARTZSITE PRIMARY ELECTION
    FINAL UNOFFICIAL
    03/10/10
    17:34:05

    Registered Voters 1346 - Cards Cast 506 37.59% Num. Report Precinct 1 - Num. Reporting 1 100.00%

    TOWN OF QUARTZSITE MAYOR
    Total
    Number of Precincts 1
    Precincts Reporting 1 100.0 %
    Times Counted 506/1346 37.6 %
    Total Votes 492
    HUNTLEY, WES 194 39.43%
    FOSTER, ED 153 31.10%
    KUKRAL, CK “CHARLIE” 115 23.37%
    DAVIDSON, HAL 28 5.69%
    Write-in Votes 2 0.41%

    TOWN OF QUARTZSITE COUNCIL MEMBER
    Total
    Number of Precincts 1
    Precincts Reporting 1 100.0 %
    Times Counted 506/1346 37.6 %
    Total Votes 1802
    LIZARRAGA, JOSE 273 15.15%
    KELLEY, ROBERT 237 13.15%
    ANDERSON, PATRICIA 208 11.54%
    MOORE, BILL 192 10.65%
    HAMILTON, CHAUNCE 186 10.32%
    LUKKASSON, JERRY 173 9.60%
    SIAS, RUSSELL 161 8.93%
    LARSON, ERIC 139 7.71%
    BLYTHE, DEENA 131 7.27%
    TRAINER, BRAD 99 5.49%
    Write-in Votes 3 0.17%

    TOWN OF QUARTZSITE PROPOSITION 100
    Total
    Number of Precincts 1
    Precincts Reporting 1 100.0 %
    Times Counted 506/1346 37.6 %
    Total Votes 439
    NO 254 57.86%
    YES 185 42.14%

    ReplyDelete
  2. That Quartzsite News website is a real winner... did they not pay any attention in Journalism 101? For a website to be considered valid, one of the first tests of validity is "do you trust the source?" If an author of an article does not state their name and affiliation with an organization, they are suspect. Any idiot (like me) can type any anonymous posts without fear of challenges to the validity of their info. In this information age, anyone can create anything. This keeps getting funnier by the minute!

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  3. We all know your a trusted source...and speaking of winners hows it going with AZPOST?

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  4. Other people like Ed Foster, Russel Sias, Bill Moore and Chaunce Hamilton are taking the blame for what you write and your costing them votes..

    If you can't take responsibility your part of the problem... Just like the council

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  5. I never insinuated I am a trusted source, just an observer of what I read. Related to news sources, I like to see who is responsible for the articles on "news" sites, not anonymous social networking blogs. I actually like reading the comments, whether I agree with them or not, this is a bastion of free speech 2000's style. Was not familiar with your AZPOST question, so googled it and am still not sure what was meant. Cheers.

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  6. I agree with "Desert", the Blogger states as being upfront and honest and that you are NOT Ed Foster or any of the other slated Candidates...yet, no transparency here on who you are or showing any actual filed complaints and certainly NO proof, or any due process at all...If any of the 'complaining and whining' were possibly true, where is the "formal and legal" proof? Interesting don't you think?

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  7. Who I am is not important. This blog is not about ME, it's about the very real problems facing this Town.If you want to see "filed complaints", then go to Town Hall and file an open records request for them...

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  8. That is true ARfighter, you are not important, but the so-called honesty and transparency...is. Filed complaints are just that "complaints". If any of this is true and it is against the laws and Town Code of Quartzsite, against the laws of La Paz and against the laws of Arizona, then file criminal charges. Put it before the law not just whining and "complaining". As they say today, "show us the proof" and clearly, therefore, with transparency. Show us "legal" proof, not innuendo, hear-say, or any other type of fluff, cut-up videos and/or not following Town Code or any other legal procedure.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I sure don't see the cowards at Town Hall answering my challenge and commenting on their bad behavior. I think that Gilbert and Taft should "show us the proof" that all of complaints officially filed with the Town, or outside agencies were actually investigated. Just because they stand up there and proclaim it to be so will their friends and neighbors applaud does not mean it happened. You demand "honesty" and "transparency" but hide behind a pseudonym yourself "JQ". That must mean that you are one of the cowards, or a hypocrit, or both...

    Legal proof should be shown to the AG, the FBI, or the news media. Any venue that won't destroy evidence and deny it ever happened will suffice. Don't worry, when outside agencies finish investigating, I'll be sure to post the arrests here!

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  10. All we've heard here for months is all of your precious investigating and complaints. So where is the evidence? Broken and partial videos, dissenting voices, unhappy non-paying taxed business owners? I only see the negative people who want to run against the law, against decorum, against what is right for the town, and only want what is for their own personal agendas. When honesty and transparency was addressed above it was about the truth of what is occurring here in town, it has nothing to do with a sign-off name or further noting your name-calling above. Be a man or woman, be direct, stick to the topic and, please, do not show such childish behaviour in throwing out adverse personal attacks. It only lowers our views of you and your opinions. If you want to be pro-active, do so being "for Quartzsite" not for yourselves.

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  11. I know where maybe the money they are talking about,try asking the wife of Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, The famles of the rest of the SOB's.If they have something to say,do what they do best.
    We are sick of the who thing. And for one Gilbert, you are not above the law....
    If you don't like jail, then I would might be thenking about going some where.
    But don't thenk about ever come where we live, we run all of you SoB's out of town...

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  12. Well, new as much, this site is only one side.
    there go are freeman agin.
    Thank you,

    ReplyDelete