BY LINDA BENTLEY | jUNE 29, 2011
Cave Creek gives town prosecutor the boot
CAVE CREEK – During the recent council retreat, what Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Commander Lt. Rich Burden told council about the behavior of Town Prosecutor Mark Iacovino (r) was upsetting to the point Mayor Vincent Francia uttered a profanity, while other members of council expressed being quite disturbed by Iacovino’s audacity.
So, last Thursday, with little fanfare, Town Manager Usama Abujbarah took it upon himself to give the town prosecutor the boot.
According to the Cave Creek Town Code, the town manager may appoint a chief prosecutor and one or more associate prosecutors “to serve at the pleasure of the manager,” noting only the prosecutor’s compensation is determined by council.
Abujbarah was succinct in his notice to Iacovino, citing the appropriate section of town code and stating, “[Y]our services as town prosecutor for the town of Cave Creek are no longer necessary effective June 30, 2011.
According to Abujbarah, criminal cases can be handled by the Desert Ridge Justice Court, in which case the town would no longer need a town prosecutor.
Iacovino, who also serves as the town prosecutor for Fountain Hills, has served as Cave Creek Town Prosecutor for over a decade.
