My View
FEBRUARY 20, 2013
Cave Creek 2013 election
Mike Chutz came to Cave Creek in 2011 and yet he is driving a program to replace one of the finest councils we are fortunate to have. He has recruited the bottom of the barrel locally to replace the team who has stabilized the town during a very rough period.
And yet we cannot find evidence Chutz is even registered to vote in Cave Creek elections since he decided to remain a Sewickly, Penn. voter. In that respect, and being a perennial against all that is good, he resembles his political cohort, Anna Marsolo.
We are fortunate that knowledgeable local leaders know the assertions by Chutz’s gang are no more than the propaganda he has written to us. You will find some great writing on that subject in letters to the editor and the guest editorials.
It is too bad campaign financial reports won’t be out until immediately before the mail-in ballots are due. How the slate is funding their massive efforts with signs, robocalls, flyers and home forums will be interesting as will the destiny of the $25,000 which remains from Chutz’s fund raising, ostensibly to defeat Enchanted Canyon. Although $40,000 was raised, $15,000 went to a Rose Law Group land use attorney. Remember Enchanted Canyon didn’t even go through the Planning Commission. The developer pulled his project.
So after losing that presumed fulcrum, Chutz and his gang decided to lie, lie and lie some more. They claim they will do what the current council already has done. How stupid do they think Cave Creek voters are?
The dissidents held a forum in Town Hall and Chutz sent out a snide email about how effective it was. Among other things he thanked Kim Brennan for moderating the event. You remember, while she served on council, she managed to get caught violating open meetings laws, twice. Then she, as a licensed realtor, advised a land owner to charge Cave Creek $2.5 million for a slip of land they had encroached on. She did this while seated on the council. Good choice Mike fits right in with your muckrakers.
He made a similar choice in getting (hiring?) David Phelps to serve as the Treasurer of his PAC. Phelps has been a cancer on the backside of Cave Creek since he was a one term councilman and then signed up as an employee of Global Water, the company which bought Cave Creek Water Company out from under the town’s nose.
This brings up one of many lies told by the slate. They claim Cave Creek could have bought water company for $5 million. Not true. Cave Creek legally had to evaluate their books and infrastructure and the owner refused. Yet the town did offer $7 million and that was refused. Then a billionaire bought it and the rest is history. But a growing town needs control of water and sewer and a smart, clever town manager supported by a smart and hard working council and legal council has it well under control. Cave Creek has never missed a debt payment and is set up for a dynamic future while retaining the Cave Creek flavor. Who is a Swickley voter to tell us otherwise after less than two years in his part time home? You will be pummeled with flyers, robo calls, signs and demands for home forums.
If these challengers were successful we would revert to Carefree style government. The slate would be controlled by people who never would be voted in but would pull strings like the good old boys do in Carefree. The real power would be vested in Chutz, Marsolo, Terry Zerkle, Bob Moore, Phelps, Grace Meeth, Brennan, George Ross, Ralph Mozilo and a few other malcontents. Knowing Cave Creek voters, I don’t think that is a viable alternative to an experienced and independent council who wouldn’t think of being a slate, especially the bunch Chutz selected.
We have found a most interesting history about Chutz. We don’t have time to dig as deep as we plan to, but contacts in Pittsburgh will enlighten us I am sure.
Then of course there is candidate Adam Trenk. Thanks to a liberal minded judge he is running even though he was not living here and like his last competition he is spending money like it was his. If his last election is any indication he is spending family donated money. Although he has tried to distance himself from the slate, he is one of the Monkey Wrench gang. Just like the rest. Would a marijuana lobbyist be a good fit for Cave Creek? Not likely.
I received a whining letter from a dark side member complaining that my comment about Monachino’s belt buckle was over the top while others tell me it was right on target.
Monachino wears his anger on his sleeve and is much too angry to serve on this council. So is Eileen Wright. It takes a lot to get Vincent Francia’s goat but her hysteria at our forum disclosed another angry person who was so wrong Francia had to speak!
We have heard Charles Spitzer’s lame complaints in many council meetings and there is no current council member who is anything like him. That is a blessing.
Then there is electrical engineer Mike Durkin who fairly reeks of autocratic aloofness. Councils are not haven for nerds, sorry.
Their flyers are hoaxes and I will take their claims apart for you in the online edition next week. You have your ballots and no one but the current council is qualified to run, so if you are anxious to vote, vote for them. Remember the next term is for three and one half years and we need the incumbents to continue for this town we all love.