Your View | June 10 - 16, 2009
At its June meeting the Carefree council adjourned for Executive Session to "consider its position and instruct its attorneys regarding the public body's position ... in order to avoid or resolve litigation with respect to" eight different lawsuits in the Arizona Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the Arizona Corporation Commission, and Maricopa County Superior Court. I hope after paying settlement costs and associated legal bills the town has enough cash left over to buy bottled water from O Premium Waters in Mesa to give away at concerts and town hall meetings.
Whoever writes the God Bless America column, thank you so very much. It never fails to make my day and I look forward to reading the column. Keep up the good work.
I dreaded the day it would come to this but I knew it probably would. I would have to call the newspaper to have them help me find the page and section where the crossword puzzle resides.
Editors note: The crossword and Sudoku puzzles were temporarily removed to make room for legal ads. They are back in this week’s edition – Page B-3.
At the June Carefree council's "call to the public" one resident used the term "GOBS" referring to four council members and their supporters. Nobody asked what "GOBS" stands for; apparently everyone recognized it as "good ole boys."
Fireworks at the Carefree Inn on July 2 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Carefree ... are you kidding? Why don’t they just set the desert on fire now and get it over with. Even Cave Creek knows having fireworks on the 15 acre dirt lot is risky and has had to chase down small fires. The resort sits amongst the thickest, driest vegetation in the town. I hope the Inn and Carefree are carrying a $200 million insurance policy for those that live within 2 miles of the resort. Let the town know how you feel.
Shortly after casting a vote for himself enabling himself to become mayor, new Mayor Schwan snapped at the audience, referring to them as "you people." He quickly corrected himself, changing it to "you citizens."
The Carefree good ole boy/girl network is so desperate they voted in even their last choice for Mayor, David Schwan. This shows you they couldn’t care less about what the citizens want. Schwan came in second to last place in the election and now this cold wet towel is our Mayor.
Mayor Schwan had trouble running his first Carefree council meeting in June. Rather than "opening the agenda item to the public," confusion reigned as he repeatedly used "call to the public," standard terminology used when the public is allowed to address a public body at the start of a meeting on any topic. On one agenda item he was convinced he had allowed a "call to the public" (should have been "opening up the item to the public") when he clearly had not done so. Ultimately he was convinced to "reopen the call to the public" (as he phrased it) when he hadn't ever done so.
New Carefree Councilwoman Vanik, apparently having never attended a meeting of the Carefree Water Co. board of directors, at the June council meeting asked new Mayor Schwan if she is a member of the board. He replied that she is (because the membership of the council and the board is identical).
At the June Carefree council meeting a member of the council asked Town Attorney Chenal just who had drafted a so-called contract under discussion. After Mr. Chenal dodged the question, a member of the audience then asked the same question. Mayor Schwan let Mr. Chenal get away with looking at his shoes and giving no answer; the council and audience never did learn who authored the contract.
It appears that Carefree Councilman Coady's former minder at recycling events, new Vice Mayor Miller, has been promoted to Mayor Schwan's personal bodyguard at council meetings.
Despite coming in last of ten candidates with just over 45 percent of the vote in the primary election, new Carefree Mayor Schwan cast a vote for himself enabling him to become mayor. Fortunately voters approved direct election of the mayor in 2011.
At the final Carefree council meeting in May, then Mayor Fulcher directed the town administrator to draft a letter for his signature regarding the proposed Walmart. Apparently too busy cleaning out his desk, the former mayor never signed the letter. Maybe new Mayor Schwan will do so.
Incoming rookie Carefree Council-woman Vanik played it safe at the June council meeting. She said almost nothing, but managed to embarrass herself by asking the mayor if she is a member of the board of directors of the Carefree Water Co.
At the June Carefree council meeting the town accountant tried to claim that the 1 percent addition to the local sales tax rate was never supposed to cover all the costs of the fire contract and that any shortfall was planned to come out of other town funds. He did not defend his position after one audience member pointed out that the hike was sold to the public as sufficient by itself to cover the fire deal. For fiscal year 2009-10 the town is short about $300,000 of covering the contract.