My View
BY DON SORCHYCH | May 18, 2016
Mayoral and council
candidates
It looks like Trump is “in” if there is any predictability in politics. So it is time to begin looking in our back yard.
Cave Creek election for council and mayor is like the national election; this is a very important one. We have had our baptism with a slate and we know what slates do. Slates are anathema to the democratic process.
As practiced by the Cave Creek Slate Council, it was vicious, probably illegal and has had long lasting effects, all negative. It was typical that they voted as a majority block to suit the obsessions of their leader.
It is our hope, candidates have minds of their own with no dictatorial influence. There is much to complain about slates in general and our own experiences in Cave Creek. We have abundant written material if you have forgotten how bad it was. We will soon be launching a new website.
We may be able to put up a slate archive that recalls step by step what a slate council is and does.
The Dark Side of Cave Creek is synonymous with slate. It is common knowledge that Eileen Wright is trying to assemble a slate.
Although it is premature since all packets have not yet been returned to town hall some truths are obvious.
Right now the prospects for mayor are ex-Town Manager Usama Abujbarah, Councilman Ernie Bunch, Janelle Smith-Haff and Anna Marsolo.
We will have much to say about the merits and demerits of each.
Possible Dark Side (slate) council wannabes:
Eileen Wright who lost trying to join the former slate, former slate Councilman Reg Monochino, Monachino’s echo chamber Paul Diefenderfer (Marsolo’s ex), John Vannucci (husband of Sara Vannucci, read Linda Bentley’s article about candidates on the front page), C.W. Jensen, former police officer, and possibly Jim O’Toole, owner of the Roadhouse.
If this group were to be elected, and if they are all pledged to being a slate, not only would they be a majority, they would be the entire council. This is something Cave Creek voters will not do. Their platform can be understood by reading Wright’s fear mongering editorials in her “Cave Creek Pony Express” fliers.
It is doubtful many people still have copies since the floors and trash receptacles at the post office have been full of her fliers, not newspapers, as she calls the creations, but fliers, at best.
The first four-page venture included six ads. Local Jonny’s, Flat Tire Bike Shop, Johnny Ringo’s Carefree Adventures, All Mercedes Auto Repair, Lazy Lizard and Hogs N’ Horses.
The owner of Flat Tire called Wright and demanded his money back, complaining she had misrepresented her “newspaper.” Wright issued Flat Tire a refund.
Johnny Ringo got an editorial space in which they imbedded a senseless whining jag he read during a town council meeting.
So that was the beginning of Wright’s attempt to explain that the town is screwed up. This was a political flier from the get go.
In most issues there were no names associated with the editorials, sometimes simply “posse.”
They printed nonsense from known Dark Siders. From the first issue they ranted about town debt and the inevitable property tax. They (she) claimed, in the first issue, that the town would have to pay $63 million for 4,000 acres of open space. If you have been reading Linda Bentley’s news articles you can see how bogus Wright’s hysteria is.
Finally the May issue admitted failure. She wrote, “Adios for now. As editor (and owner) of the Pony Express, I want to personally thank each and every Cave Creek resident for supporting our seedling newspaper (flier). We brought the truth to you for 8 months.” (OMG!).
“My staff and I (name the staff?) will be taking a break to focus on the upcoming election as I am running for council.” (Why can’t the staff carry on?)
“Happy Trails to you until we meet again.” (How sweet!)
Now, on the decent side of life, we have non-Dark Side candidates for council.
Aside from Bunch running for mayor, the only incumbents running again are Councilwoman Susan Clancy, who has demonstrated her skill on council, and Councilman Thomas McGuire, a caring councilman for years.
New challengers are: Mary Elrod, whose family is a fixture in Cave Creek; David Smith, who has served on three commissions; and Ron Sova, a retired builder with knowledge that fits council needs. That is only five candidates – six are needed to fill the council seats. There is little, but enough, time to pull a packet, get signatures and become a council candidate. One more is needed.
Please?
