Councilman threatens lighting ordinance retaliation

Councilman Paul Diefendorfer has suggested on FaceBook that he may use the Town government to retaliate against at least two of his twenty-six neighbors. These are the neighbors that recently filed a complaint with the Town of Cave Creek concerning Diefendorfer’s operation of his Desert Rat Forge commercial welding business in a residential neighborhood. 

Diefenderfer, a close friend of Dark Skies co-chair Bob Hughes, stated during an angry FaceBook rant, “John and Eileen, please read the town lighting ordinance. Your outside floodlights are in clear violation.”  The Councilman may want to get his facts straight before recklessly spouting off. Unlike the Councilman’s never-ending construction of a cargo container house, both homes he has accused of violating the lighting ordinance passed the Town’s final inspection and are not in violation. In my opinion, if this is any indication of enforcement activities to come, the community support for the Dark Skies initiative will fade quickly.

In the same FaceBook outburst and unbecoming of an elected official, Councilman Diefendorfer goes on to accuse me and former Cave Creek Councilwoman Eileen Wright, of being “professional liars.” Once again, the Councilman is wrong on two counts. First, you have to be paid to be considered a professional – Secondly, I have a copy of the letter he claims does not exist. The letter is signed by Dave Peterson, Cave Creek Town Engineer/Utilities Manager.

John Hoeppner
Cave Creek