Volume 2 issue 9

Vote for Quartzsite!

The Arizona Press Club is seeking your help to crown the most deceptive and lowdown government agency or politician in the state – and to award dedicated reporters who don’t take “no” for an answer.

 

That’s right, we’re looking for nominations for the annual Arpaio First Amendment Disservice Award, aka the “Brick Wall” award, and the Sledgehammer award, both of which will be given at the Press Club’s May 19 awards party at The Duce in downtown Phoenix.

 

As you may be aware, the “Brick Wall” award is presented to officials and government agencies that do their utmost to ignore public records requests and open meeting laws, hide or destroy public documents, and place themselves above the public’s constitutional right to know what their representatives are up to.

 

And where there are forces of darkness, there are forces of light. The Sledgehammer award is a tribute to reporters who relentlessly hunt for the truth despite all obstacles and deception thrown in front of them by their shameless prey.

 

We're looking for the most egregious examples of bad behavior from April 1, 2011, through March 31, 2012. So, write us a short summary of the nefarious encounters you or others in your newsroom had during the past year and please nominate the sledgehammer-wielding journalists who served as an outstanding example to others. Please include links to or copies of any stories that would tell us more. Email your nomination to bulletin@azpressclub.org by April 30, 2012.

Judge says 'Print fraudulent ballots, to heck with fair election'

    The Prutch v Jewitt election challenge was not heard on it’s merits by Judge Michael Burke in the La Paz County Superior Court this morning. The case had been transferred by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge, after the the town argued successfully over proper venue.
    Before the hearing could proceed, there were motions by attorneys on both sides that had to be ruled on. Judge Burke was prepared to grant a motion for change of judge filed by John Prutch’s attorney, Ellen Van Riper. However, Van Riper was forced to withdraw the motion because it would cause unreasonable delay and the early ballots  had to be mailed out on April 19th.
    Van Riper had also filed a motion requesting that the hearing proceed “ex parte”, meaning that the town had lost their legal right to be heard on the matter, because they had failed to file the required response to the original pleading. Judge Burke denied the motion without explanation.
    This allowed controversial Quartzsite Town Attorney Martin Brannan to argue in favor of the town’s motion to dismiss, claiming that there was inadequate time to rule properly on the case. After all, the town had already printed sample ballots without including the run off between John Prutch and Mike Jewitt.
    Judge Burke stated that although the case should be heard “on it’s merits” that would require him to stay up past midnight doing research, in order to issue a ruling before the early ballots were scheduled to be mailed to voters. Apparently preferring a good night’s sleep to giving Quartzsite voters the opportunity to have evidence of felony election fraud presented and ruled on, Burke dismissed the case.

vol 2, edition 8

Quartzsite election challenged filed yesterday

As predicted, Write in candidate John Prutch and his attorney Ellen Van Riper filed a civil claim against the Town of Quartzsite, the Town Clerk Terry Frausto, and appointed incumbent Councilman Mike Jewitt.The hearing is set for Wednesday, April 11th, at 2 pm in the Maricopa County Superior Court.

Read the compaint - click HERE

"Trailer Trash" represents Quartzsite on Price is Right - Monday April 2nd

Letter to the editor:

Quartzsite will make the national scene on April 2nd( but in a good way)

On Feb. 22nd a group of 25 snowbirds from Quartzsite and surrounding areas went to CBS studios in California.

All were wearing green "Quartzsite Trailer Trash" T-shirts to be part of the price is right audience and hoping one of us would be chosen to Come on down!

well our wish was granted! Debbie Ventling from Montana was chosen and did make it on stage. You will have to watch the show on april second to see all she won!

It was a long day, we left Quartzsite at 5:30 am and returned after 1 am but everyone had a good time!

Alot of work by my wife, Pat Baker, helped make the trip a success. Four vehicles , 25 people, and we all arrived safe,on time and together without a problem (even parking was a breeze) Nice job pat!

We had people from Idaho, West Virginia, Montana, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, and Quebec Canada. Of course,WE ALL call Arizona our other home state.

Dean Baker (Baker's Desert Auction)

.....................................................................................................................................................................

After episode 5911 airs on CBS station KPHO (if your watching in the greater Phoenix area) you can watch it online at http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_price_is_right/video/2218194612/the-price-is-right-4-2-2012

If you're interested in free tickets to be in the audience of The Price is Right, go to http://www.priceisrightinfo.com/PriceIsRightTickets.htm

Quorum of council approves election results, legal challenge expected

After reviewing additional documents related to interpretation of Arizona election statutes, Quartzsite Councilmembers Joe Winslow, Patricia Anderson, Carol Kelley and Barbara Cowell voted to approve the resolution declaring a "special - winner take all" election instead of a primary, and declaring appointed incumbent Mike Jewitt the winner this afternoon. Jewitt was not sworn in however and illegally seated Mayor Jose Lizarraga was not in attendance, having previously recused himself due to conflict of interest. Candidate John Prutch is on the Fire Department Board where Lizarraga is  employed.


Ellen Van Ripper, attorney for candidate John Prutch is expected to file a challenge in La Paz County Superior Court by April 4th. This will be a precedent setting court case, as the amendment to state law regulating the filling of council vacancies enacted last year has not yet been challenged. The council is betting taxpayer money on Town Attorney Martin Brannan's interpretation of the statute, despite Brannan's legal opinion being in direct opposition to the interpretation provided to Quartzsite and other municipalities by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns last October.

Resolutions, or recipe for disaster? 3-27-12 council meeting

http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/Support%20Docs/Council_NTS_AGD/2012/032712%20Council%20Notc%20&%20Agn.html
Despite being told repeatedly that there was a primary election, not a "special" election on March 13th to fill the council seat of Jose Lizarraga, who resigned to run for mayor last summer, it seems clear that the Quartzsite Town Council intends to defiantly seat incumbent Mike Jewitt tomorrow morning under Resolution 12-08. Jewitt was appointed to fill Lizarraga's seat, but had to run for it at the next regularly scheduled election, pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes.
Read the warning letter to Quartzsite Town Attorney
Official write in candidate John Prutch has retained legal council, and is expected to challenge Jewiitt's usurpation of office before weeks end.

The town is making some pretty wild allegations regarding registered voters in the primary election in Resolution 12-07. It seems clear that they do not believe incumbents can survive the General Election in May. The cost of compiling these statistics at tax payer expense is currently unknown, and no documentation or evidence in support of the claims made in the  Resolution were included. If the councilmember vote in favor of 12-07 without any serious discussion, it must be assumed that they vetted this agenda item in yet another secret meeting.

Both resolutions were placed on the Agenda by Town Manager Alex Taft.

Quartzsite Chevron part 2

March 21st, 2012
Quartzsite, AZ--The Chevron station in question gets a passing grade by the Arizona Department of Weights and Measure (ADWM), indicating a maximum of 10% ethanol was tested by a third party laboratory in Phoenix. This was confirmed in a taped phone conversation today with Dan Egge, an investigator with ADWM.
But not so fast...says Dave Bertrand, after $1,500 dollars of chasing a mechanical problem for approximately three months as income allowed!
Engine acceleration problems, known as "stumbling," kept the local repair shop mechanics puzzled as computer tests did not pinpoint the reasons. From (2) fuel filter changes to oxygen sensors replaced and every other temperature sensor tested, including fuel pressure testing, the result was the same...very poor acceleration.
Just short of trashing the Tahoe for a replacement, my last option was a full diagnostic check with Bradley Chevrolet in Parker Arizona.
Jim Burdette, the Service Manager assured me they would find the problem. Leaving the vehicle overnight, I was hoping the $100 test would not reveal an engine overhaul was due or something similar.
The call from Jim sounded bad, but only because he said the complete test was negative, nothing out of the ordinary, but added..."We only had one last option and that was to test your fuel."
He asked where I was getting my fuel and you guessed it! The Chevron station in Quartzsite.
During the previous months of having acceleration problems, my paranoia of using cheap gas caused me to fill-up at the Chevron station, thinking that I could clean-out any dirty fuel that might be causing the problem. Well...to my astonishment, the knock over my head was worse than the $100 diagnostic test at Bradley.
Jim Burdette informed me that my fuel tested greater than 20% ethanol and that Bradley Chevrolet just had at least three other vehicles in the shop with similar problems and those customers said  they used Chevron in Quartzsite. One other customer with the same problem used Chevron and other stations.
The solution and advice was to drop the fuel tank and replace the fuel with non-ethanol rated fuel for a while. Parker Oil on 95 north in Parker is the only station with non-ethanol fuel.
About $400 later, tank dropped and drained, I replaced the fuel with non-ethanol and the Tahoe did not miss a beat. My only mistake was not spending the $100 at Bradley for a full diagnostic check.
By now I was wondering if Chevron in Quartzsite was in-fact selling contaminated fuel. Were all the customers (I heard about) wondering as well? Then my Quartzsite mechanic began having engine problems and only used that Chevron...which prompted me to get a sample of fuel and take it to Bradley Chevrolet for testing.
On March 9th, I collected .633 gallon(s) from pump 5 and sealed the screw cap with tape and attached the receipt to the side of the container. The gas was tested by Bradley Chevrolet in three different beakers, using an approved testing method, and the lowest ethanol level was 17% and the highest 20%. The maximum allowable by any state is 10%, except for E85 fuel which is not sold at the Quartzsite Chevron.
The phone call from Jim Burdette set the stage for a series of events...
I contacted Dan Egge at ADWM and nearly had to threaten media action to get the state agency to return my calls. Finally, an inspector on a fuel testing assignment in Parker was re-directed to Quartzsite immediately.
I was waiting at the Chevron station as he pulled-in with his testing trailer tanks. He indicated to me that his findings would only be preliminary, but also stated the same directive that Dan Egge stated to me...if the sample taken on March 20th was over the ethanol limit, he would have the inspector drive the sample to Phoenix. Note: The fuel inspector (Bill) was originally heading to Yuma.
After taking a fuel sample from pump no. 1, he conducted an onsite assay test which a receipt type tape, printed the results.
I asked if the ethanol level is above 10% and he kind of smiled, but could not tell me the level. I asked if he was taking it to Phoenix and he said, "I'll know in a minute!"
I asked him, "I guess you can't tell me the ethanol level because it's now part of an investigation?" He replied..."Yes, you can assume that."
He was ordered to Phoenix and I was provided the lab tech's name and phone number before he departed.
Again, after several phone calls to ADWM for the results, Dan Egge called today, stating that a contract lab reported no more than 10% ethanol in that sample taken yesterday.
The third party laboratory that took the sample from ADWM was INSPECTORATE a subsidiary of Bureau Veritas Group Company, a world conglomerate with very close ties to BP, Texaco and Chevron.
They have over 600 laboratories around the world and offer quality control services to most every petroleum company, testing and preparing official reports for government(s).
Their contracts equate to the FDA relying on the pharma companies to do their own testing of the product they intend to get approval for!
Or...let's put it this way! Putting the fox in-charge of the hen house.
Will we ever know if the fuel sample is really tainted? Or do we accept what Dan Egge stated to me today, the fuel turn-over at many stations can be as much as three tankers arriving in a single day...therefore, any tainted fuel may not be detected.
Should we assume that Bill the fuel inspector needs glasses and or his testing equipment is faulty?
In today's world of corruption and corporate monopolies, the citizen is the last hope of justice, and because we were vigilant, and I was financially challenged in this event, the big corporation wins and ADWM gets-a-pat on the back by those (behind the scenes) right up to the main offices of Chevron and Shay Oil (station owner).
They dodged a bullet this time, but it's the last time I ever buy fuel at this Chevron in Quartzsite Arizona.
Dave BertrandNewsThatMatters@Live.Com


http://www.epa.gov/oust/mtbe/omethods.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/oust/mtbe/LL42Analytical.pdf.

State investigates Quartzsite Chevron

The Arizona Department of Weights and Measures was sampling the gas being sold at Quartzsite's only Chevron Station, today around noon.

Several people who have purchased gas there have had engine problems with vehicles that were still under warranty, and James Burdette, from the service department at Bradley Chevrolet in Parker, AZ told the Desert Freedom Press that Chevy requires them to test the fuel. It was discovered that multiple vehicles whose owners had gassed up at the Chevron in Quartzsite tested out with higher than legal levels of ethanol in their fuel tanks. 

A local man whose vehicle may have been affected then purchased a gallon of gas and sealed it up, along with the receipt from Chevron. Bradley Chevrolet tested the sealed sample three times and it averaged out to about 20% ethanol. The state allows no more than 15% ethanol (for flex fuel vehicles only) and most stations sell fuel with no more than 10% ethanol. The Quartzsite Chevron does not sell E85 fuel with 15 % ethanol. According to Burdette, "The procedure is to fill a 100 milliliter beakers to 90 mil with the fuel sample, then add 10 mil of water, shake and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. The water will mix with the ethanol in the fuel and settle to the bottom. the amount of ethanol will be seen and relates to the percentage in the fuel. As seen in the pictures this fuel has about 18%. The max is supposed to be no more then 10%."

                                                 

Burdette further states, "  GM recommends that a customer use what is know as TOP TIER fuel to verify drivability issues, such as poor fuel economy and lack of power. If a vehicle is a flex fuel vehicle then high ethanol content will not be a factor, but if the vehicle is not made for flex fuel many problems can happen. Top tier fuels are normally found at a corporate station such as Chevron, Shell, Texaco etc. The problem is that just because a station shown to be one of these stations does not mean that it is a corporately operated station. Independent stations are owned by individuals and can purchase some of there fuel from an outside source, and this fuel source can be the reason for high ethanol in the fuel.  

The State Department of Weights and Measures was notified and sent their Parker investigator out to sample the fuel today. He immediately took the evidence to their Phoenix Office and we are currently awaiting further information as to the results of this investigation.

Vol 2 issue 7

Voters want Ed Foster as Quartzsite's mayor again!

CLICK HERE FOR ELECTION RESULTS

Quartzsite voters turned out in record numbers yesterday to send a message. And that message was "NO" on Proposition 1 (444 votes to 149), meaning 75% 0f voters wanted an elected not an appointed mayor. The mayor they chose was Ed Foster.

At odds with the rest of the council before he even took office in 2010, Foster had lost a recall election to Fire Captain Jose Lizarraga in August by a narrow margin. That recall was spearheaded by then Councilman Jerry Lukkasson and his wife Michelle. Lizarraga refused to run again for his expiring mayors seat and Lukkasson resigned from the council for a chance to  wield the gavel. Now, the voters of Quartzsite have put Foster back in as the town CEO, and by a respectable margin. At least according to the unofficial results.


Two expiring seats on the town council will go to a run off election in May, with incumbents Barbara Cowell and Joe Winslow facing off against Pat Workman and Mark Orgeron.


Provisional ballots and late mail in ballots have yet to be added in to the totals, but write in candidate John Prutch was trailing appointed incumbent Mike Jewitt by 19 votes in the "special" election contrived through fraud by town officials. Poll workers reported the the layout of the ballot had many people confused and it's believed that the twenty two write in votes in the regular election were meant to be cast for the special election. That would likely have put Prutch over the top. It is anticipated this may go to a run off as well as not enough people voted in the "special" election to secure the required number foe either candidate.

Quartzsite primary council election today!

Click here for election results site after 9 pm tonight

County Prosecutor requests FBI investigate Quartzsite Corruption

Dennis Wagner, of the Arizona Republic and USA Today confirms what many locals have been speculating, the FBI is investigating Quartzsite officials.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/01/23/20120123quartzsite-feud-spills-into-court-internet.html

Power struggle in Quartzsite spills into court, Internet

Legal filings and crude website mockery

A power struggle at Quartzsite Town Hall has now moved into the courts, with allegations that the municipal attorney is criminally prosecuting political enemies while smearing them on the Internet with spoof websites.
In recent weeks, two defense lawyers have filed motions in Quartzsite Magistrate Court accusing Martin Brannan, the town's lawyer, of conflicts and unethical conduct.
At the same time, La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman has asked the FBI to investigate "potential systemic corruption" involving municipal leaders. In a Jan. 3 letter obtained by The Arizona Republic via a public-records request, Vederman said he believes residents of the town are being "targeted for arrest and prosecution simply because they are in political opposition" to town officials.

"I have a lot of concerns about what's going on in Quartzsite right now," Vederman said. "But to have any semblance of fairness, it (an investigation) can't be done by local officials."
An FBI spokesman declined to comment.
The legal contretemps involve opposing factions locked in a years-long struggle for control of a desert community that has a full-time population of about 3,500 and an estimated 2 million visitors annually.
The western Arizona town, which has been through a series of recall elections and courtroom battles over the past few years, made national news last year when a YouTube video showed an activist being dragged away in handcuffs after trying to discuss freedom of speech at a public meeting.
More than a half-dozen critics of the ruling group have been arrested -- many of them repeatedly -- in what dissidents say is a campaign of harassment. They were supported last year by most of the town's police officers, who signed a letter accusing Chief Jeff Gilbert of using his authority for political retaliation. Eight of those officers were fired and have sued the town in a pending federal court case.
Many of the criminal cases against dissidents arose from Town Council sessions at which they were accused of disorderly conduct, failing to obey police and malfeasance.
Three examples from public records:
In August, then-Mayor Ed Foster was arrested on orders of the police chief on suspicion of criminal malfeasance because he allegedly failed to adjourn a meeting after the majority of Town Council members walked out in protest. In his letter to the FBI, Vederman contends that charge was "politically motivated."
Jennifer "Jade" Jones, a local news publisher and outspoken critic of Quartzsite leadership, has been arrested at least five times in the past two years. In one case, she was hauled from a council meeting in handcuffs at the police chief's direction after speaking with the mayor's approval -- an arrest that the attorney general said violated Arizona's Open-Meetings Law. All the charges were subsequently dismissed, according to municipal court records.
Another dissident was arrested in April 2010 and accused of disrupting a meeting because he spoke disparagingly of the police chief, according to a Court of Appeals panel that threw out the conviction for lack of evidence.
After many of the charges against town critics were dismissed by prosecutors, the police chief sent an e-mail to the La Paz County attorney asking that he recuse himself due to bias. In a response, Vederman denied the request and wrote, "If you want to arrest people ... when there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction, that is your decision. However, I do not approve of it."
Gilbert told The Republic that accusations of selective or retaliatory enforcement are "absolutely false." He accused the former mayor, the publisher and their associates of being provocateurs who violate laws.
"These are all very legitimate criminal cases," he said. "The town has been under a constant barrage of attacks by a lot of propaganda."
Brannan and town officials other than Gilbert declined to comment.
Michael Frame, a lawyer who represents Foster, recently submitted three motions calling for Brannan to be removed as prosecutor due to alleged conflicts.
Frame noted that Brannan is the subject of an ethics complaint filed by Foster with the Arizona Bar. (The Bar is reviewing three complaints against Brannan, according to a spokesman who said the details are not public.)
Quartzsite's legal infighting is magnified by personal attacks and spoofs on the Internet, including crude sexual allegations against town critics. Frame's court filings allege that Brannan is responsible for Web postings at quartzsitebagger.wordpress.com and nedfraudster.info/wp that malign political foes with "false allegations and personal insults."
"Mr. Brannan is using his power as prosecutor to intimidate and bully the defendants for whom he has a personal bias against, in a fashion that is contrary to interests of justice, common decency and the law," Frame wrote.
The court motions were never ruled upon, Frame said, because Brannan withdrew as prosecutor and appointed special prosecutors to handle the cases before hearings could be held.
Frame's court complaints are supported in a motion filed last month by Matt Newman, another defense attorney who alleges that Quartzsite officials are "targeting certain individuals for prosecution due to their political views." Newman, an appointed public defender, asked to be relieved of all Quartzsite cases because the town's administration is so "tainted." He served as Quartzsite prosecutor for 12 years but was fired in April after refusing to press charges against a resident who, he asserted, was arrested for political activism.
Besides the policing conflicts, critics have assailed the town's administration for secrecy. Last year, the attorney general and state ombudsman found that Quartzsite leaders repeatedly violated Arizona laws governing public meetings and records.
Jones, the newspaper publisher, said state or federal investigators should step in to enforce the rule of law.
"It's really become an experiment in municipal government gone awry," she said. "Right now, these guys have a pass, and they're just laughing."
"We've got a wild West town here," former Mayor Foster added. "I'm concerned somebody's going to get pushed too hard and get a gun and come out shooting."

 http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/01/23/20120123quartzsite-feud-spills-into-court-internet.html#comments

Town confidentiality memo - no longer confidential!

Town manager Alex Taft has often spoken about "transparency" in Quartzsite government. Those who live here know that reality is closer to opaque. Which begs the question, what on earth is going on at Town Hall that employees know about, yet cannot discuss - even with their spouse? Clearly this confidentiality memo is another in a trickle of "Qwiki leaks" and not exactly a well kept secret.

Scholar's Academy appeals Charter Board decision

Due to declining test scores, the Quartzsite Scholar's Academy has been denied a renewal of it's charter, with the State Charter School Board. According to Principal McClenning:

"Monday, January 23^rd, The Scholars’ Academy went before The Arizona State Board for Charters seeking early renewal of its charter contract.  The original charter was for a term of 15 years, the renewal would be for twenty years.  That renewal request was denied.  The reason for denial was due to a trend of declining test scores over the past few years. 

The renewal request is now in the appeal process.  The Scholars’ Academy still has a year left on the original contract and will continue to operate and provide a quality educational choice to the children of this community.

As part of the appeal process, the school is required to submit a performance management plan that will highlight the areas in which action will be taken to improve the academic performance of students on the 10^th grade AIMS test.  The faculty and staff have worked diligently to try and reverse the trend of declining test scores.  During this same time frame, the graduation rate has increased and the school continues to produce outstanding graduates.

The Arizona Board for Charter Schools does need to hear from the community about the impact the school has had on the community.   For further information about the renewal process and steps that can be taken to help The Scholars’ Academy in their appeal, please contact the school at 928-927-9420. "

Personnel Board member Gene Clark dies of cancer

Few people in Quartzsite don't know Gene Clark, 72, or his 1940 'Tweety Bird' Ford with which he won many local shows. His earthly journey ended early this morning following a battle with cancer. Gene's wife, Bernice, is requesting that people do not send flowers but instead give to their favorite charity. A memorial will be held in 3-4 weeks.
http://www.quartzsitenews.tv/

Prutch to run against Jewitt as write in

Former Quartzsite Town Manager and Building Official John Prutch has turned in papers to run an official write in campaign against incumbent Councilman Mike Jewitt. Prutch is well respected around town, and currently serves as a Fire District Board Member. It is believed that the recent termination of his daughter, Quartzsite Finance Director Heidi Turner was the motivation for his decision. This is shaping up to be a very interesting election.

Quartzsite election fraud scandal

    The town has decided that recently appointed Councilman Mike Jewitt will run officially unopposed for a two year term at the March 13th Primary Election, despite the fact that former Magistrate Judge and current Town Clerk Terry Frausto altered the candidate’s paperwork. Jewitt replaced Jose Lizarrga, who had to resign in order to run for mayor.

    Candidate Sean Austin wants to run against Jewitt, but all council candidates will now be forced to run against each other for the two seats currently held by Vice Mayor Barbara Cowell, and Councilman Joe Winslow, according to the ballot submitted by the town. La Paz County Election Board Director Donna Hale stated, “I do not believe the ballot is subject to change as it has been authorized to go to print by the Town Clerk, Terry Frausto.”

    After all of the candidate paperwork was officially received by the town in December, Frausto took the liberty of writing in the dates for the term of office instead of having the candidates themselves do it properly, prior to stamping the documents “received”. Frausto had called council candidates to ask whether they wanted to run for a two year or four year term.

    Candidate Jennifer Jones came in before Christmas to fill out the form, but was informed by Frausto that she had altered the document. When Jones exclaimed ”You know you’re not allowed do that!” Frausto replied “Well I did. I just wrote it in there...I did it for everybody.” For the custodial officer to alter a public record after it is stamped received is a class four felony under ARS 38-421 and a knowingly filing a forged document is a class six felony under ARS 39-161. Knowingly violating election law is a class 6 felony under ARS 16-1010.

    The town sent candidates a press release in January, calling the two year term a “special” election, but  no special election was advertised for and it is not listed as a special election on the sample ballot.     
    To make matters worse, the town failed to legally "call" for a special election, and only posted a notice on the town website for a "primary" election for "three (3) Council Seats and Mayor's Seat" with no mention of a special election. Interestingly, The "Public Notice" was not even signed and posted until November 30th, 2011 - over two weeks after the candidate packet distribution date, and after incumbents Barbara Cowell, Joe Winslow and Mike Jewitt, as well as incumbent supporter Starr Bearcat had pulled their packets. Many in the community are speculating that they were given personal notice.
http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/Support%20Docs/Election%20Public%20Notice.html

    “After consultation with the Secretary of State’s Elections Department, the town discovered that, unless context made it otherwise clear - as in the case with incumbents and mayoral candidates, the nominating petitions would be the sole determining factor in determining whether a candidate was running for the regular council primary election or the special council primary election”, according to the press release prepared by controversial Town Attorney Martin Brannan. The town “relied solely on the contents of the nominating papers submitted in making that determination.”

    Nominating papers were anything but clear however, with Jewitt indicating he was running in the “Regular” election. Candidates had varied responses on the petitions; Orgeron, Jones, Austin and Workman wrote in “primary”, Bearcat and Winslow wrote “2012”, and Cowell wrote in “Quartzsite Town Hall & Senior Center”.
    Additionally, the Municipal Elections Manual from the Arizona League of Cities and Towns specifies that "a separate nomination petition must be prepared for a two year term in addition to the regular petitions for the four year terms". This was never done by the town and Jewitt filed a standard petition, for a four year term. Technically speaking, it doesn't appear he's running for his own seat.

    Inquiries to Secretary of State Elections Director Amy Chan received the response that the end result of her own advice is not any of her concern, When asked “if the nomination petition does not state it, and the Threshold Exemption Statement was altered by the custodial officer after the fact, how can it be determined who may run against whom?” Chan replied “this is a local matter that must be settled among the interested parties” So any  “interested parties” would have to file a civil suit in Superior Court.

Read this and other stories in the online version of the DESERT FREEDOM PRESS at:
http://aview.info/DFP.html

Carol Kelley to replace late husband as Quartzsite councilperson

http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/Support%20Docs/Council_NTS_AGD/2012/011012%20Council%20Addendum.html

According to the addendum for tomorrow morning's town council meeting, Carol Kelley will replace her late husband Bob on the Quartzsite Town Council and be sworn in at the 9 am meeting.

Read the DESERT FREEDOM PRESS online archive

http://aview.info/DFP.html 
has uploaded all back issues of the DFP in an easy read pdf format. Click the link above and catch up on any issues you may have missed!

Councilman Robert Kelly dies at age 77

Bob Kelley passed away on Saturday, December 31st. He had been admitted to  hospice only a couple of days earlier after being hospitalized at La Paz County Regional.