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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Quartzsite Council Terminates Town Manager Alex Taft

After weeks spent on what was likely administrative leave that violated the contract with Town Manager Alexandra Taft, the Quartzsite Council came out of executive session and voted to terminate her. There was no discussion or explanation.  Many speculate that Taft had been threatening a lawsuit. If she pursues one, she will be paying to defend her actions, instead of the taxpayers.

This is the most recent in a string of terminations that include Town Attorney Martin Brannan, Assistant Town Manager Albert Johnson. Planning and Zoning Director Nora Yackley, and Police Administrator Janet Brannan.

11 comments:

  1. That council meeting was a mess! I understand removing some of the conflicting agenda items, but it seemed a bit cowardly to remove ones such as moving the meeting time back to evening. It is one thing to discuss and vote no, but completely different to remove the item with no public reason. It seems that if an agenda item comes from a source other than the "approved channel" that it is not worthy of mention. The rubber stamp council is back, even though the puppet masters are now hidden.

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    1. I don't think the puppet masters are hidden. Bluto, Orgeron and Lukkeson are all too hefty to hide behind anything. Well, maybe a circus tent could conceal them, but that's about it.

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  2. Hey, why the censorship on the DFP?

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    1. What censorship? I just got behind on posting comments because I went to Phoenix to stir up trouble for the bad guys...I'll tell you in person.

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    2. Who are the "bad guys" nowadays? I can't keep track anymore.

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  3. Regarding the vote of the motion to adjorn to executive session in which Mayor Foster declared "lack of quorum"; the motion should have carried. The failure of a member or members of a quorum to vote does not result in a failed motion. The motion is carried if a majority of the members who have voted, vote in favor of the motion.

    64. A Quorum of an assembly is such a number as must be present in order that business can be legally transacted. The quorum refers to the number present, not to the number voting.

    When a quorum [64] is present, a majority vote, that is a majority of the votes cast, ignoring blanks, is sufficient for the adoption of any motion that is in order, except those mentioned in 48, which require a two-thirds vote.

    48. Motions Requiring a Two-thirds Vote.

    1. Amend (Annul, Repeal, or Rescind) any part of the Constitution, By-laws, or Rules of Order, previously adopted; it also requires previous notice

    2. Amend or Rescind a Standing Rule, a Program or Order of Business, or a Resolution, previously adopted, without notice being given at a previous meeting or in the call for the meeting

    3. Take up a Question out of its Proper Order

    4. Suspend the Rules

    5. Make a Special Order

    6. Discharge an Order of the Day before it is pending

    7. Refuse to Proceed to the Orders of the Day

    8. Sustain an Objection to the Consideration of a Question

    9. Previous Question

    10. Limit, or Extend the Limits, of Debate

    11. Extend the Time Appointed for Adjournment or for Taking a Recess 20

    12. Close Nominations or the Polls

    13. Limit the Names to be Voted for

    14. Expel from Membership: it also requires previous notice and trial

    15. Depose from Office: it also requires previous notice

    16. Discharge a Committee when previous notice has not been given

    17. Reconsider in Committee when a member of the majority is absent and has not been notified of the proposed reconsideration

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    1. I admit, I'm no rocket scientist, but I'm no dunce either. Can someone please translate what the point of this post is? I'm sure it seemed apparent to Mr. (or Ms.) Scornman at the time, but it seems to have lost something along the way.

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  4. Now Now...you don't have to be so hard on yourself. If you look at the meeting minutes you will find that Workman made a motion to go into Executive Session for legal advice regarding the legality of the present Town Manager recommending actions against the former. The motion was voted on and a roll call vote indicated 2 ayes and 1 nay with 4 members choosing not to vote. Roberts Rule referance in my previous post indicate that the motion to ajorn to ES passed by a vote of 2 to 3. But, Mayor Foster did not recognize that a member coosing not to vote is the same as a vote for the majority that did vote.

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  5. So in simpler terms, they should have went into executive session. Silence (members choosing not to vote) implies a yes vote. From what I gather though (I get my news from multiple sources), the interim town manager may not have had a conflict of interest because she doesn't have a vote. I think it probably would have been wise to use one of those PAL referrals that the risk pool recommends to make sure there was no perception of impropriety on behalf of the council or Bluto.
    But obviously doing what the risk pool recommends is completely foreign to any of this new regime.

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  6. Does that mean Ed screwed up? Say it isn't so!

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