17 AUGUST 2008 -- The Citizen's Coalition in Quartzsite is working for change -- but they want people to know it's not about fighting for control or exercising power.

"We are a group of concerned citizens," explained facilitator Dean Taylor. "I've been involved in other communities where change was imminent: this is just another of those times in which people have lost the ability to work together. It can improve! It can be fixed!"

The group is currently working on developing a website to keep the public apprised of what's happening within the coalition, an organization open to the public that holds publicly advertised meetings and wants everyone that's interested to participate.

The forum allows different people to facilitate meetings, with no one person in charge of the organization or its membership.

They are members of the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce so are able to reach new members via advertising through the Chamber as well as by word of mouth.

"It's purely interested in helping businesspeople and citizens work toward a better relationship with the town's officials -- something that's not happening now," Taylor continued.

"We need to work toward change. Right now, many people feel alienated and -- basically -- unrepresented by the town, while still required to meet the requirements of citizenship here. We'd like to see that relationship improved."  Taylor concluded.

The History

Town Manager/Town Attorney Dan Field requested permission to attend and address the first public meeting of the Citizen's Coalition group.

At that meeting, both Field and then-Mayor Steve Bennett addressed the group, indicating that the primary focus of the town was the town's sewer system, which did not meet the new ADEQ [Arizona Department of Environmental Quality] requirements.

Accused of being lax in moving forward with ADEQ's requirements, the town was now at grave risk of finding themselves forced into a moratorium on allowing new hook-ups. [Whether this pertained to business or residential hook-ups remained unclear.]

Field indicated that until this issue was addressed, there were few changes that could be facilitated by the town, in particular the contention that the Town of Quartzsite was paying an exorbitant sum to the Holt Group, an engineering firm.

Steve Bennett, as he took office  May 21, 2008, discovered that the town's estimated $400,000 in fees to the Holt Group was not in line with what other municipalities were paying for engineering fees, and questioned the amount.

In fact, Bennett's research showed that, typically, a town the size of Quartzsite would pay no more than $50,000.00 per year in engineering fees.

Bennett brought the matter before the council and asked that other engineering firms be considered.

The suggestion died when no councilman would make a motion to further consider Bennett's recommendation.

Bennett also questioned other aspects of the town's financial condition. He proposed Lisa Lombard LLC of Phoenix be brought in to evaluate the books and audit the town's records. 

Again, when Bennett made the proposal in an open meeting, not one council member would make the necessary motion for the matter to  be opened for consideration.

"That one's dead, too," Bennett stated.

Bennett had also requested the town reconsider the current status of Daniel G. Field holding two key positions within the town's governmental structure -- that of Town Attorney and Town Manager -- simultaneously.

Bennett suggested the council vote to allow the advertising of the Town Attorney position.

Though it passed, Bennett indicated the advertisement was never placed. Bennett further indicated  the advertisement was effectively prevented.

Over the next two weeks, Bennett's own financial situation was addressed by the council with the town alleging that Bennett owed the town $170,000.00 in back taxes.

Bennett suggested he be allowed to pay $5,000.00 per month while working with attorneys and tax specialists to establish the validity of the debt and develop a plan to pay any monies owed the town.

The council, voting without Bennett returning to his Mayoral position that evening, refused Bennett's $5,000.00/mo. $60,000.00/year offer.

Two days later, Bennett relinquished his position on the council and resigned.

In a special session held September 16, 2008, Dan Taylor reported the town's council voted to award a $4,000,000.00 contract to another engineering firm to develop the sewer system. It was unclear whether the council had advertised for competing bids on the project.

The next Citizen's Coalition meeting is scheduled to be held at 5:30 PM on Monday, September 22, 2008 at the Tyson Community Building in the rear of the Tyson RV & Mobile Home Park located on 350 West Main Street in Quartzsite, Arizona.

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Citizen's Coalition Forms When politics are a problem, citizens often step up to change things. That's what appears to be in the works as citizens and businesspeople involved in Quartzsite form a new watch group.

 

The Citizen's Coalition held its first meeting August  11, and is planning regular meetings -- the next to be held at Janet's Kitchen on Main Street, August 25th. One stated objective is to review several issues recently brought before the Town Council as areas of concern, that were not chosen to be addressed. 

 

The group's leaders have indicated they are simply hoping the council will ultimately show themselves to be more responsive to the needs of the community and less reluctant to act favorably towards the concerns and suggestions of their constituents.

 

As residents and business owners have consistently complained of apathy on the part of the council, tensions have grown, causing several town meetings to become public forums for the addressing of grievances as citizens and business owners have stepped forward to complain.

One such issue concerned the intention of the council to continue holding planning meetings in Laughlin, a sizeable distance from Quartzsite that was widely criticized for creating an environment in which citizens could not easily participate. In spite of wide opposition, the council reiterated its intention to meet in Laughlin.

 

Many see the election of Steve Bennett, a prominent Quartzsite builder, as a beacon for change.

Bennett encountered many problems establishing his candidacy as another candidate sought to prevent him from entering the election. Then, despite publicly disseminated documentation designed to discredit him and prevent his election, Bennett easily prevailed, winning the position of Mayor by a wide margin.

 

In the council meetings held since his election in May, Bennett's efforts to open dialog with the council concerning several key issues have been thwarted.

 

One such matter brought for consideration was a request for an independent audit of the town's financial records. Another was a recommendation by Bennett to open bids for an engineering firm to make certain the high engineering costs borne by the town are in keeping with those of similar sized municipalities. The new budget allocates $400,000 in engineering fees to the Holt Group.