Shanana's letter to Quartzsite Town Council

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From: Desert Messenger <desertmessenger7@yahoo.com>
To: "panderson@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <panderson@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "mjewitt@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <mjewitt@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "ckelley@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <ckelley@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "ncrooks@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <ncrooks@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "pworkman@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <pworkman@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "morgeron@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <morgeron@ci.quartzsite.az.us>; "mayor@ci.quartzsite.az.us" <mayor@ci.quartzsite.az.us>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 7:01 PM
Subject: Mayor & Council: please read before council meeting Tues. am

Mayor and Council,

In case you missed this:

During the Feb. 13th Town Hall meeting,  

Laura Bruno announced the formation of an untitled "subcommittee" to review the water rates.

She named three members of the "subcommittee" without identifying the other members.

1) Which board/commission/committee is this "subcommittee" under? 

2) When was this "subcommittee" approved by any board/commission/committee?

3) When did this "subcommittee" come before council for approval?

4) When were the "subcommittee" members appointed by council?

Arizona State law dictates all meetings SHALL be public meetings.

According to Laura (on video), the "subcommittee" has already met at least once;

(at least three violations of state law: NO public agenda, NO posted minutes, & NOT held in public).

One member of the "subcommittee" said Laura told him she had talked with the attorney,

so it must be alright. However, Arizona State law clearly dictates 

all meetings SHALL be conducted openly.

1) Laura admittedly violated Open Meeting Laws with the P & Z Board on Dec. 18, 2012 by demanding a secret ballot.

2) She then tried to convince the P & Z Board to vote with only 3 members present (no quorum) on Feb. 15, 2013.

3) Now she created an unapproved "subcommittee" which met behind closed doors and...

Yes, Quartzsite, we have a problem! 

And you all want to reward these Open Meeting Law Violations

by giving her a year contract for over $96,000 + benefits to someone with 6 months municipal experience?

(abundantly higher than the previous Town Manager's salary with 15+ years municipal experience)

That extra $20K could be well spent marketing Quartzsite to attract more tourism dollars! 

I ask you to think for yourselves and do your OWN research before 

approving such a high salary for someone who has already violated Arizona OML multiple times.

Now that you all are aware of this, what are you going to do to "right the ship"?

Also Demand that Laura "cure" the "Subcommittee issue" ASAP!

“All meetings of any public body shall be public meetings and all persons so desiring 

shall be permitted to attend and listen to the deliberations and proceedings.” A.R.S. § 38-

431.01(A). 

“It is the public policy of this state that meetings of public bodies be conducted openly 

and that notices and agendas be provided for such meetings which contain such 

information as is reasonable necessary to inform the public of the matters to be discussed 

or decided.” A.R.S. § 38-431.09.

ARS 38-431 

1. "Advisory committee" or "subcommittee" means any entity, however designated, 

that is officially established, on motion and order of a public body 

or by the presiding officer of the public body, and whose members 

have been appointed for the specific purpose of making a recommendation 

concerning a decision to be made or considered or a course of conduct to be taken or considered by the public body.

Even though I am personally disenchanted with the council as a whole, 

I am not publicizing this email, however sending to the town makes it public record.

I hope you interview Laura with surprise test questions as you did the unpaid P & Z volunteers.

Maybe questions regarding Open Meeting Laws...

See the AZ Ombudsman link below for ideas:  

http://www.azleg.gov/ombudsman/Open%20Meeting%20Law%20101.pdf

Sincerely, 

~Rain

Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear, Owner/Publisher

Desert Messenger Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper

PO Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359

541-218-2560, Direct

Quartzsite, Arizona, The Rock Capital of the World!