The SOLUTION: BIOREMEDIATION instead of
 OIL DISPERSANT.
The difference? BIO REMEDIATION destroys
the oil and renders it 'unrecoverable.'

What happens when money vs. health?
EXXON-VALDEZ, BP OIL SPILL,
THE BAYER DISASTER.



Call to Public moved to end of meetings, cited as one driving force behind 2009 recall efforts



Accusations of Extortion
                               



Town's difficulties bring about recall effort against three elected officials amidst citizen's allegations of lack of respect from sitting officials, unelected officials representing townspeople, special elections to elect true Mayor stalled

28 FEBRUARY 2009 -- With the new [open] revelation at Tuesday's meeting that the town is, essentially, out of money, the recall effort is going forward with proponents saying "I told you so" with renewed vigor.

"I've tried to tell people," stated recall worker Ed Foster. "They've been hiding the books, hiding the status of the town's position and saying a public independent audit will not be allowed to happen. But we will not stop recalling them until they allow an independent audit by an outside entity: someone to actually review what they've done and how they've done it. It's the people's money at stake: now it's gone... They are accountable."

According to Foster, the recall effort has easily succeeded with enough signatures being readily obtained. "A clerical error prevented the existing petitions on Guthrie and Huntley to be verified, but we are going to fix the problem and take the petition back to the people," he said, "And we are adding Walter Akin to the list -- he isn't elected and until he's willing to publicly run for the office as anyone else would have to do, forfeiting their position on the council to run. He's not entitled to hold it [except as pro tem.] Then, at the earliest opportunity, there needs to be a regular election."

Foster's accusations concerning the position of Mayor appear to have some merit.  Quartzsite is governed under a statute that holds that the position of Mayor shall be an elected position.

[Following the resignation of Steve Bennett, Charles Busby assumed the Mayoral position as a Pro Tem Mayor - meaning that he is assuming the position on a temporary basis. Upon Busby's death, the  seat was again vacant. The council moved to appoint a Mayor to fill the remainder of Bennett's term, with Akin stating that he would only seek to hold the position until the 'regular  election'  in March of 2010. In spite of opposition from Quartzsite residents, this is the way the situation remained.]

By appointing Akin to the position of Mayor, the existing council circumvented that statute to put a Mayor into office that is not elected by the people, a move that has been challenged by Quartzsite citizens since before Akin was appointed. Akin's temporary assumption of the seat is not at issue: but allowing him to hold it without calling for a special election at the earliest opportunity is a matter of concern for those opposed to relinquishing the right of the people to elect their own Mayor.

According to La Paz County Elections Director Donna Hale, the statute was interpreted by Daniel G. Field. If challenged, the Superior Court will intervene and make a determination in the case based upon various cases brought in similar situations.

Daniel G. Field did not return calls requesting clarification on the issue.

Field has resigned his positions as Town Manager and Town Attorney to become the La Paz County administrator.

11 FEBRUARY 2009 -- In an open session of the Quartzsite Town Council, Town Manager and Town Attorney Daniel G. Field announced his pending resignation, stating that he would be wrapping up his business in Quartzsite in March to take a position as La Paz County Administrator.

Field's status, holding both positions, had been a source of consternation for many in the town, including ex-Mayor Steve Bennett, who resigned his position in August of 2008, citing personal reasons.

At that time, Vice Mayor Chuck Busby took over the position, in spite of serious health difficulties, and he chaired only a few meetings before he passed away in November.

Interestingly, the council had never filled the Vice Mayor position Busby vacated in order to become Mayor -- so Busby's death left the Town with no one holding either position of Mayor or Vice Mayor, rendering the council essentially leaderless.

This makes any decision making on the part of the council essentially impossible.

In an effort to quickly fill both positions, Akin was appointed to the position of Mayor and Hal Davidson was appointed to the position of Vice Mayor.

Akin pointed out that he could legally have held the position until Bennett's term would have expired: four years.

In the next meeting,  Caroline Guthrie was appointed to the position of Vice Mayor, with Davidson loudly voicing his opposition to the move, and stipulating in comments to the council, that he was not willingly relinquishing 'his' position as Vice Mayor.


Despite strong opposition from the Citizen's Coalition and several vocal citizens, the council refused to allow an election to fill the position of Mayor and, instead, appointed Walter Akin to fill that position until March of 2010, the next regular election.

As the council moved to fill the two remaining seats, Robert Kelley was appointed to a council position and, last month, the final position was awarded Jose Lizarraga.

Also at issue were concerns that sitting officials were working to avoid citizen's concerns, a problem brought to the attention of many when the council voted to move the call to the public to the end of the meetings of the Town Council.

Despite strong opposition from townspeople and media professionals, [SEE VIDEO ABOVE] the sitting council voted unanimously to prevent citizens from addressing the council until the end of the meeting.

Many times, citizens attend council meetings specifically to address issues scheduled for discussion by the council. If citizens are prevented from speaking until the meeting is over, concerns are never heard and the council is effectively voting on issues citizens have been prohibited from discussing in an open forum.

Daniel G. Field has indicated that citizens may speak to an issue during the meeting, but only if the sitting Mayor chooses to recognize them.

Another problematic issue has been the scheduling of the council's conference in Laughlin, Nevada. Not only have citizens contended that they can have no input in meetings held so far away, but the price of the meeting was misrepresented, with council's figure of $1,600.00 ultimately being proven inaccurate, and a cost of over $6,000.00 was eventually revealed by a local publication, using figures compiled by utilizing FOIA document requests.

Despite demands from citizens for the council to abandon the Laughlin trip, the council remained steadfast in maintaining their right to meet in Laughlin. Only after recall efforts were made and substantiated did the council rescind their decision and agree to meet locally.

During the Town Council meeting Tuesday, Councilman Carolyn Guthrie accused Dean Taylor -- under consideration for an  appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission -- of extortion. 


Guthrie, currently the subject of a recall effort initiated by Taylor, indicated in an interview Wednesday that she was 'threatened' by Taylor and "I was told by the Town Attorney that that's extortion," Guthrie stated -- a statement Taylor has reported Field subsequently denied in a meeting following the open session.     
 
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In other business, Field recused himself from handling a town matter of noise -- citing a 'potential conflict' in the issue. The local business, a tavern and restaurant known as Grubstake, has been the target of many citizens' complaints over the past two years for failing to adhere to standard local ordinances that require relative quiet after 10:00 p.m. Field's family members are widely known to be owners in the business, and Coalition participants have heard repeated concerns that Field's position as Town Attorney and Town Manager have prevented proper handling of the noise issue.

The council voted to have another attorney, Richard Files from Yuma, handle the matter on behalf of the town, with one councilmember, Hal Davidson, pointing out that the monies paid to Files should be deducted from those payable to Daniel Field.

                                                                       
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The Citizen's Coalition has reiterated its request for an opportunity to elect a Mayor for the Town of Quartzsite.  While participants Akin and Field have since clarified the matter, indicating that Akin will remain in the position of 'Acting Mayor' until March, 2010.

The Citizen's Coalition is reviewing a wide range of issues brought to open, public meetings by residents that are unhappy with the town's handling of the matters. Many are viewed by coalition members as ethics violations.

However, council members have consistently avoided the formation of an ethics oversight committee, a common
Also as issue during the meeting was the town's approach to zoning, delineated in a statement by Century 21 Real Estate Agent Doug Gilford. Gilford discovered an unorthodox approach to zoning issues when he purchased a property in Quartzsite only to find the C2 zoning challenged by Quartzsite's zoning official.


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11NOVEMBER 2008 -- In an open session of the Quartzsite Town Council, an agenda item -- consideration of the possible appointment of [Citizen's Coalition chairman] Dean Taylor -- was brought before the council.

Councilman Carolyn Guthrie took the opportunity to state that although she had initially suggested Taylor for the Planning and Zoning Commission, she 'was disappointed' in herself for having done so.

Guthrie went on to accuse Taylor [transcript here]  of extortion.

Taylor, a veteran who has openly stated he lost 50% of his hearing at the age of 17 in the U.S. Army, has indicated he was unable to hear most of Guthrie's comments -- even when Guthrie reiterated her accusations in the second portion of this video.

"I was shocked when people told me what she'd said in the meeting," Taylor stated. "I am not guilty of extortion and I believe this is retaliation for my leading a recall effort naming Guthrie."

"I can't believe she was allowed to talk about me like this and I think she should have been stopped by those that could clearly hear her. The town attorney had to know this was wrong."

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