The incumbents in the small Town of Quartzsite simply refuse to leave,
even after having been voted out of office. Today was the official day
the new officials were to be sworn in. But it didn't happen.
Mayor-elect Ed Foster, whom the Counsel refused to seat by deadline today, reports that La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman is looking into filing an unusual "Quo Warranto" action to get a court order to force the incumbents out. (See A.R.S. 12-2041 thru 2045. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=12)
(Mr. Vederman's phone number is 928-669-6118.)
It will be interesting to see if the Counsel will abide by a court order. (If they won't abide by the law, why abide by a court order?)
I wasn't at the meeting today, but am told the house was packed. Until the corruption started and then half the crowd left in disgust. Mayor-Elect Ed Foster is your contact for a first person report. (928-750-8113) You may also want to try calling the current Mayor, Mayor Lizarraga, who seems to have become one of the "good guys" after being assaulted by the Town Attorney two weeks ago. He opposed the Counsel each step of the way today.
The Counsel went into Executive Session at today's meeting where it was ostensibly determined that two of the candidates were not qualified for office. (Mayor Elect Foster and Councilman Oregeron.) This despite Quartzsite Town Attorney Martin Brannan's own citation of case law in a parallel matter (Prutch v. Quartzsite), where Brannan argued in court papers that you CANNOT challenge the qualification of elected officials AFTER an election. It must be done before.
See http://qtown.us/blog/2012/05/17/the-voters-have-made-their-choices/ for the mini-story and case law citation.
Last, the Council did not challenge one newly elected official, but neither did the Counsel swear her in.
The Quo Warranto law allows the Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne, to bring this matter to the Arizona Supreme Court, but except for writing a few letters acknowledging Quartzsite is in violation of Open Meeting Law, Mr. Horne seems uninterested in fighting corruption in Quartzsite.
The Town's people could use a little light on this subject. Hope you'll make a few calls.
Mayor-elect Ed Foster, whom the Counsel refused to seat by deadline today, reports that La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman is looking into filing an unusual "Quo Warranto" action to get a court order to force the incumbents out. (See A.R.S. 12-2041 thru 2045. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=12)
(Mr. Vederman's phone number is 928-669-6118.)
It will be interesting to see if the Counsel will abide by a court order. (If they won't abide by the law, why abide by a court order?)
I wasn't at the meeting today, but am told the house was packed. Until the corruption started and then half the crowd left in disgust. Mayor-Elect Ed Foster is your contact for a first person report. (928-750-8113) You may also want to try calling the current Mayor, Mayor Lizarraga, who seems to have become one of the "good guys" after being assaulted by the Town Attorney two weeks ago. He opposed the Counsel each step of the way today.
The Counsel went into Executive Session at today's meeting where it was ostensibly determined that two of the candidates were not qualified for office. (Mayor Elect Foster and Councilman Oregeron.) This despite Quartzsite Town Attorney Martin Brannan's own citation of case law in a parallel matter (Prutch v. Quartzsite), where Brannan argued in court papers that you CANNOT challenge the qualification of elected officials AFTER an election. It must be done before.
See http://qtown.us/blog/2012/05/17/the-voters-have-made-their-choices/ for the mini-story and case law citation.
Last, the Council did not challenge one newly elected official, but neither did the Counsel swear her in.
The Quo Warranto law allows the Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne, to bring this matter to the Arizona Supreme Court, but except for writing a few letters acknowledging Quartzsite is in violation of Open Meeting Law, Mr. Horne seems uninterested in fighting corruption in Quartzsite.
The Town's people could use a little light on this subject. Hope you'll make a few calls.
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PRESS RELEASE
ReplyDeleteSAM VEDERMAN ADDRESSES THE JUNE 4, 2012
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE QUARTZSITE COMMON COUNCIL
On Monday, June 4, 2012, the Town of Quartzsite Common Council held a Special Meeting to approve the canvass of the May 15, 2012 runoff election and judge the qualifications of Mayor-Elect Ed Foster, Council Member-Elect Mark Orgeron and Council Member-Elect Patricia Workman.
The Common Council judged Ed Foster and Mark Orgeron to be unqualified to hold office and judged Patricia Workman qualified to hold office.
This office is currently reviewing the action taken by the Common Council at the Special Meeting.
I ask that all citizens remain calm and engage in respectful discourse while the review process occurs.
The results of the May 15, 2012 runoff election are as follows:
Mayor - Ed Foster received 401 votes (56.32%) and Jerry Lukkasson received 305 votes (42.84%).
Council Member - Mark Orgeron received 398 votes (29.03%), Patricia Workman received 387 votes (28.23%), Barbara Cowell received 305 votes (22.25%) and Joe Winslow received 264 votes (19.26%).
911: What is your emergency?
ReplyDeleteMe: Quartzsite town council refuses to seat the duly elected council members.
911: That's not really an emergency sir.
Me: OK then, we'll take it out on Sheriff Lowery and the B.O.S. this next election.
911: Sending all units.
It makes me so angry that these town 'devils' are hijacking the election again against the right of the people's vote! I hope they go down, and go down hard!!
ReplyDelete