Desert Messenger

May 18, 2022 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 T��� ����� ������� �� D����� M�������� Got events? List for free! Are you planning a new or recurring event in Quartzsite next season? Please consider sharing the dates now, as folks are planning their winter trips. QuartzsiteCalendar.com is a FREE service to list your special events, workshops, classes, music jams, bingos, entertainment, pot lucks, picnics, gatherings, fundraisers, ice cream socials, meetings, etc. SUBMIT your events for FREE today! Click "Submit Event" at www.QuartzsiteCalendar.com. (Sponsored by Desert Messenger News.) FREE CLASSIFIEDS Desert Messenger offers FREE Classifi ed Ads! HERE'S THE SMALL PRINT: Items for sale under $1000. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Ga- rage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com letters to the editor Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily represent those of the Desert Messenger. Quartzsite Town Council recap April 26 OPEN LETTER TO THE PUBLIC Quartzsite Town Council has voted to disqualify Mike Roth, Sam Sax- ton and Dennis Vosper as candi- dates for Council seats based on Town Code 30.09. Council members should NOT be involved in this elimination process. Council members up for re-election are voting to disqualify their poten- tial opponents. No matter who the candidates are this should not be taking place in our election process! I consider this election interference and it should be stopped! If Council members were held to a responsibility to vote, then ethically they should have recused them- selves stating a confl ict of interest or they could have abstained. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. To their credit, some members did abstain from the vote because they were not comfortable with it. This process was also used in 2012 to oust a town leader from their duly elected position. It was challenged in court and on October 15, 2012 La- Paz County Superior Court, Judge Michael Burke, ruled the action "un- lawful" and the individual was rein- stated to their elected position. [Only the Supreme Court can rule something as "unconstitutional"]. Attorney, Julie LaBenz said that with their action Town Council was trying to turn democracy "upside down." Why didn't the town attorney dis- close this "unlawful" ruling to Coun- cil prior to their vote to disqualify. Why was this code pulled off the shelf, dusted off and used again against these candidates? I thought we were getting better with shady dealings here, but sadly it seems like we are going back to those dark days. This never should have happened— it was ruled an unlawful action and should be REPEALED! The citizens of Quartzsite deserve better. I would encourage them to consider this when they make their ballot selections in the coming Town Council elections. Laurie Muhlhauser Quartzsite [Editor's response: Regarding the most egregious accusation of "Elec- tion interference": Arizona Secre- tary of State has issued a 2-page Law Enforcement Reference Guide to Election Interference which ex- plains Arizona's Election Inter- ference laws, such as Obstructing Election Offi cials; 75-foot Limit and Electioneering at voting loca- tions; Direct Voter Interference; Firearms in Voting Locations; Taking Photos in Voting Locations; Voter Intimidtion/Harassment; Reporting Election Incidents. View online at https://www.arizona. vote/fi les/Law_Enforcement_Ref- erence_Guide.pdf Title 16 of the Arizona Revised Statutes explain everything you need to know about Elections in the state of Arizona.] Regular Council Meeting of April 26th During Call to the Public, Shanana Rain Golden-Bear made a presen- tation concerning the importance of celebrating local businesses that stay open during the summer months. www.ShopQuartzsite.org. Vice-Mayor Warner presented the year-end 2021 fi nancial report. Rev- enues received and expenditures in- curred by the Town were compared to the adopted budget. Overall, the Town has received all projected rev- enues and maintained expenditures within the adopted budget. The Town hires an outside auditor on an annual basis to verify all fi nan- cial and accounting activities. The 2020-2021 fi scal year's audit report found no problems with the Town's fi nances. Council approved Consent Agenda items Ledger of Accounts paid in the total amount of $158,993.36, and the regular meeting minutes of April 12, Special Meeting of April 7, and Work Session of April 12, 2022. Council discussed possible changes to Town Code Section 30-09 dealing with Qualifi cation of Council Candi- dates. Council Member Saxton read a prepared statement requesting the Ordinance No. 90-15 be deleted in its entirety and that Council vote to rescind its previous decision on the disqualifi cation of council mem- ber candidates. Council members discussed several options to amend Section 30 of the Town Code, mak- ing it fairer and more equitable. Staff was directed to come back with pro- posed amendment language at the next meeting to include a checklist and a remedy period. Council approved an extension of the lease arrangement between the Town and Ed Options to 2025. The current lease ends in 2023. The Town Manager recently met with Mr. Steve Durant and discussed market value of the property. There was agreement that the lease pay- ment would increase gradually on an annual basis. Council directed the Town Manag- er to increase the annual lease pay- ment from Eve's Place to $12,000/ year and extend the term of lease through September 2023. Council voted to approve a Tem- porary use Permit for the Ten-West Multi-state power line project. The construction yard will be located east of Riggles Avenue and south of Mockingbird Street. The landown- er, Larry Lord, and contractor agree that a concrete batch plan would be operated not to exceed six months. The power line is being constructed between Tonopah and Blythe. They anticipate setting up in December.

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