A Sonoran Truth Editorial by Grace Meeth, Council member 1997 – 2009
Let’s be very clear what the March 10th election is all about. For close to ten years, major decisions concerning the town were influenced by two people – the editor of a local paper and the former Town Manager. Cave Creek Council members quickly learned that the best way to retain their seat on the Council was to garner positive press, and the best way to accomplish that was to do what the editor of the local paper wanted done. So to assure themselves an almost guaranteed retention of their Council seat in subsequent elections, many Council people abrogated their decision-making authority and allowed the Town Manager and the editor to control the town’s agenda.
With the election of Mike Durkin, Reg Monachino, Charlie Spitzer, and Adam Trenk to the Council in June of 2013, those two people no longer have influence in Town Hall. The Council replaced the Town Manager, whose power, authority, and actions far exceeded the scope of his position. They awarded the contract for town advertisements to a paper other than the one that continues to berate and disparage citizens and Council members alike. Since Durkin, Monachino, Spitzer and Trenk can’t be controlled, manipulated or humiliated into submission by the local paper, supporters of the editor want them removed from office – a recall. It’s as simple as that.
This recall is not about performance; a recall was threatened before Council members even took the oath of office. This recall is about power, and whether Cave Creek will be governed by duly-seated elected officials or outside influences and favor.
On March 10th I urge you to vote for Mike Durkin, Reg Monachino, Charlie Spitzer, and Adam Trenk. They have represented this town with honor, transparency and inclusiveness. Let them do the job you elected them to do.
Editor: Attached is a flyer sent out by Adam Trenk. Since Sorchych is calling the four recall council members “a slate,” for sake of simplicity, Adam is calling his fellow recall council members a slate as well. The reason is quite simple. A loss of one council member currently up on recall could tip the balance of power.