Affordable community pool on a Quartzsite budget!

Finally, a community swimming pool that even Quartzsite can afford! This cool story made international news this week. NYC converted three unused dumpsters into public swimming pools and put them right on Park Ave. as part of the city's "Summer Streets" initiative.

Temporary decks were erected around the 4' 3" deep pools and lifeguards were on duty.

The City provided street showers for those impulsive folks who didn't pack a bathing suit, but wanted to cool down anyway.

Portable changing cabanas were set up for those that planned ahead and brought a suit.

Unfortunately for residents of Quartzsite who desperately need a community pool this innovative solution would likely end up buried in the same bureaucracy and infighting that seems to squash any great idea that Alex Taft doesn't come up with herself.

Those shiny, clean, red C & D disposal dumpsters would certainly be swim worthy in this heat, but you can bet Taft and her cronies would rather give the children one of those old, dirty, dented Palo Verde Disposal dumpsters to swim in instead. After all, Palo Verde appears to have the inside track after they donated the land for Taft's Willpower Inc. dirty, dented, broken trailers/makeshift Quartzsite animal shelter. Councilman Winslow proudly announced it is finally almost completed, yet they've had animals there for months without even passing inspection.

Maybe, some private philanthropist would be willing to negotiate with C & D for a dumpster pool before another resident dies of heat exhaustion. If we wait for Town Hall to reach a consensus, all the currently registered voters will surely be dead

Watch the dumpster pool video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10905487

This Week's Council MEETINGS! And yes, that's PLURAL!

A special meeting of the Town Council has been called by Town mismanger Alex Taft, for tomorrow, Friday, July 30th at 1pm to discuss approving the application for ADOT enhancement funds for beautification of West B 10 (Main St,) and "Hi Jolly Wayfinding Signage". Not surprising, Mayor Foster wasn't even notified about this special meeting as of close of business today, even though The "Desert Toiletpaper...I mean Messenger" had it posted by 17 minutes after noon, and, the meeting agenda was uploaded to the town"s website .

Why didn't Taft want this item discussed Tuesday night, when the majority of citizens would be watching? Why wasn't the Mayor notified? Why was Foster defamer Shanana "Rain" Golden_Bear apparently notified before the Mayor?

A quick highlight of Tuesday evenings Regular Meeting of the Common Council:

The proposed drastic increase in Cemetery fees, as requested by the Cemetary Board was Tabled.

Taft convinced the Council to borrow another million for expansion of the waste water treatment plant, but the interest rate is only .5 percent!

The budget was approved.(No mention of how much will be paid to Taft's private charity Willpower Inc. for animal sheltering, even though Paw Power is now turning away animals.)

And at "Reports and Announcements" Quartzsite resident Sean Austin, gave a report on the status of the investigation into the statutory rape of his daughter by QPD Officer Josh Starr, to which Police Chief Jeff Gilbert responded that it was a personnel matter that he was not at liberty to discuss...

ALEX TAFT, THE TOWN MISMANAGER?

At the March 3rd meeting of the Arizona Emergency Services Association in Phoenix, it was revealed that in the wake of the September '09 rains and subsequent record flooding, Quartzsite Town Manager Alex Taft did NOT turn in the "preliminary damage assessment" forms that would have allowed Federal and State funds to have covered THE ENTIRE COST of damages sustained by the Town! Instead, repairs were reportedly paid for from the Town's indebted General Fund...

You see dear taxpayers, La Paz County had been officially declared a "disaster area", which meant that damages would have been covered 75% by Federal funds and 25% by State funds - IF the paperwork had been turned in on time.

In order to fill out the proper documents, they had to be submitted by someone who was "NIM" compliant (National Incident Management). However, nobody on the current Town Council has the required credentials.

If the Towns fiscal interests were foremost on their list, the Council could have called upon former Councilman and current Candidate Bill Moore to fill out the PDAs. (Moore is a Senior Commander, certified by the Arizona Emergency Recovery Office.)

How much money did Taft's blunder cost Quartzsite citizens? Ask the finance department. No wonder the Town is 4 million in the hole! And the incumbents insists it not their fault. But they unanimously approved Ms. Taft contract (after a closed door executive session). Then they unanimously approved the water and sewer rate increase to rake in revenues aimed at offsetting the General Fund deficit used to cover the $250,000 deficit in water and sewer revenues.

I don't know about the other $194,000, but on March 3rd of last year, the Town Council approved payment of $56,000 to contractor Bill Foote for a concrete foundation with drainage hole for the "no kill" animal shelter located on the property of the water and sewer plant. This "Paw Power" shelter, run by Town Manager Alex Taft's Willpower non profit incorporation had an intergovernmental agreement to provide services to the Town, but had been shut down for numerous code violations. Rumor has it that the Council approved supplanting Federal WIFA funds to foot the bill...Caught like deer in the headlights, the original "animal shelter" is now called a "storage building"! A serious audit needs to be done if the substantiating documents still exist... BUT the very public meeting of the Town Council had plenty of witnesses that might remember under oath.

Stay tuned for the rest of the animal control scandal - INCLUDING THE DEATH TOLL AND WHAT CITIZENS PAID FOR THE KILLING OF QUARTZSITE'S STRAYS at the dirty hands of incumbent council persons. "No kill"? HA! What a sick joke played upon those who donated to save these pets.

Hopefully, the voters will seize the opportunity to oust the supporters of Ms. Graft...oops, I mean Taft, and save our beloved desert oasis from further mismanagement.