Mayor Foster relayed this letter to Alex Taft, Quartzsite Town Manager last Wednesday. It indicates that the town is delinquent in submitting required information to the Department of Revenue. The report was due last December 31.
VIEW LETTER: Department of Revenue to Town of Quartzsite
Arizona Attorney General press release:
ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM HORNE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, July 29, 2011
Contact: Amy Rezzonico (602) 542-8019
Attorney General Horne Finds Reasonable Cause to Believe Open Meeting Law Has Been Violated in Quartzsite
PHOENIX (Friday, July 29, 2011) – Tom Horne, Arizona Attorney General, today released partial information regarding the Attorney General’s Office investigation of events in Quartzsite. Horne stated:
“Normally, we do not release the results of an investigation until it has been completed. However, because this is a matter of unusual public interest, we are prepared to say that, based on review of a video of a July 10 meeting, there is reasonable cause to believe that there has been a violation of the Open Meeting Law, inasmuch as the public was excluded. The meeting was held under the misconception that an emergency meeting can be conducted without the public present. Independently of the question of whether the Town Council had a legitimate reason to hold an emergency meeting, even proper emergency meetings must allow the public to be present. The exception is if there is a legitimate basis for an executive session, and the City Council did not attempt to hold a proper executive session during the emergency meeting. The investigation of this and other alleged violations of Open Meeting Laws is ongoing.”
July 26 2011 9am Town Council Meeting. The period right before or after the public meeting was not enforced uniformly.
Before the meeting started, video cameras were in use freely. After the meeting ended, again video cameras were in use freely. The public was still milling about in the meeting room. Four police officers had full view of the room. Rain Goldenbear, who is a known political supporter of police chief Gilbert and current council majority, was being interviewed on video by another reporter. Officer Patterson looked on while standing behind Rain.
Soon, I moved with my camera running, to the front of the room to observe activity. Patterson now told me I cannot videotape. I questioned why I could not, and if he means just me? He responds that anybody running video must stop. He declined my invitation to make a public announcement to stop all video. I pointed to another videographer. Patterson called for his sergeant, so video was terminated to avoid citation or arrest. I do not understand what changed to disallow camera use at that point and the officer would not speak to it.
It is now very unclear what the rules are for video in the meeting room. It appears that individual officers can decide the limits, rather than the law or the rules. The little signage that is posted is on the outside of the door, and does not match the town’s de facto enforcement policies.
The text above was filed as a complaint with the town today.
A DVD has been sent to a division of the Arizona Attorney General. It includes: The Town’s video, My video in 3 files, and more.
The town’s video in one segment is 32 minutes long. It is believed that the video from the town was done from Sgt. Frausto’s body cam. He did not take a physical position suitable for recording the town’s video, until Jennifer Jones and I had already witnessed approximately 9 minutes of meeting in progress, through the tinted glass door. During that time, the chief of police had been speaking to the seated council except the mayor.
The video which I personally recorded (3 segments) totals 42 minutes. This clock differential indicates that for some reason, the town did not offer the public the first 10-12 minutes of video of the meeting. Additionally, there were perhaps a few minutes before my camera was turned on and placed against the tinted glass door to take the video.
Note: It is remarkable too that all council members had been seated when the mayor arrived, as the last member to be seated. This indicates they were there for an unknown period of time before the mayor came to the door and looked inside, or before our video began. The mayor’s escorts were all just behind him, as he first approached the building.
Agenda for Quartzsite Town Council Meeting Aug 1 2011 Posting USPS
This meeting notice pictured is not sufficient for open meeting laws in Arizona. No “Call to the Public” segment of the meeting is on the agenda. It is posted at the Main Street Post Office. Also, the online notice does not give the location of the meeting because the first page titled “Public Notice” is excluded. This meeting may be deemed illegal for violation of Arizona Open Meeting Laws.
Yesterday Councilman Joe Winslow filed a police complaint against me for harassment. There was no police chase. My wife Teri called me to say that she had heard a report on the police scanner radio. We deduced that it involved me. I visited my church, called police, and invited the chief over. He brought Sgt. Frausto and took my side of the story. Today I have written a full narrative to supplement yesterday’s meeting. There is also video on DVD to show exactly what happened. Joe’s complaint states that I committed a crime in asking him at the post office, as my council member, “Why has the council not suspended the chief?”. My thanks to Pastors Mike and Linda Hobby at Church of the Isaiah 58 Project for their counsel. Douglas Gilford
This video is worth watching for 1 minute and 15 seconds just to hear Councilman Joe Winslow in an act of insulting a fellow council member.
SEE VIDEO OF JULY 26 QUARTZSITE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
Videography courtesy of AngryRightWingHousewife.com visit her website!
Mike Roth’s guns and ammunition have been taken away from him. This action was a result of one hearing, where Mike Roth was not even present. Justice of the Peace Karen Slaughter (928) 859-3871
Joe Winslow
Update: regarding comment by Winslow and Taft, in the video, regarding people with listening devices … Jennifer Jones and Douglas Gilford stationed themselves at the locked glass doors with video cameras during that Sunday meeting. The glass was tinted, but the video is adequate to show the meeting participants.
“Council Meeting Behind Locked Doors” Written request was made July 12 to obtain the town’s video and audio record of the unique Sunday meeting on July 10 2011. It was just received. That meeting was called with no prior notice. The video is 32 minutes long. It may have been recorded by a body camera worn by Sgt. Frausto. The original video from the town was reduced in digital size to conform to internet limitations so you can view it. No content was lost or cut from the original video provided by the town. So, lesser video quality, but the full video content is here. Enjoy. The attorney’s role in this meeting appears to exceed the scope of legal advice. He obviously speaks more than any council member. He and the town manager seem to lead the council in what they say through this meeting.
July 19, evidence was delivered to the Quartzsite Police Department, in support of charges brought against Al Johnson, Alex Taft, Jose Lizzaraga, and Sgt. Fabiola Garcia. Those police reports can be read in previous postings in this website. The evidence consisted of unedited video recordings, copied to DVD for the prosecutor, Martin Brannan, to view to support prosecution of the crimes. Today Mr. Brannan reported that he never received the evidence. The matter has been turned over to DPS.
There has been no response regarding police reports that were written and submitted to QPD, accusing Taft, Johnson, Lizzaraga and Sgt. Garcia. Each case described a different incident and different charge. Additional video evidence on DVD was submitted for each case more than a week ago while Conley was still on the job. It is not know if the cases are being prosecuted.
If there is an opportunity, Mr. Brannan will be interviewed after the council meeting this morning at 9 am.
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED
Town Hall, 465 N. Plymouth Ave.
Limited seating. Arrive early.
EXHIBIT 2010 June 25 Irish Letter EXHIBIT 2010 July 8 Vederman Letter
TEXT OF A RECENT EMAIL TO DPS:
Sgt. Lane,
I served as the Quartzsite Constable from December 2008 until December 31st 2010. During this time I have become aware of several times were Chief Jeff Gilbert was in violation of both Arizona State and U.S. Code laws.
I am including my complaints filed with both Mr. Bob Irish dated June 25th of 2010 with AZPOST, and Mr. Sam Vederman, La Paz County Attorney dated July 8th of 2010 where proper investigations were never followed through and still need to be investigated not only for the violations of Arizona State Laws but as well into the obstructions of justice and obstructions of a criminal investigation of a felony nature.
Sgt. Lane, I am still on vacation in __________ and you can call me at the phone number below to arraign an appointment time to discuss my complaints further as I still feel that the complaints I made were violations of my Civil Rights under “Due Process” and obstructions of justice both by Quartzsite and La Paz County personal.
If DPS had conducted a proper investigation when I had gone to Mr. Irish at AZPOST in Phoenix of June, 2010 the citizens of Quartziste and her brave Police Officers that have come forward to file their true complaints against Chief Jeff Gilbert would not be in danger and this would not be an issue or embarrassment to DPS and the State of Arizona on nightly National and International News.
I will not second guess you or the very important task that you have been assigned out of respect of the ultimate sacrifice of a partner and cousin killed in the line of duty protecting the public. However, each day that Chief Jeff Gilbert is allowed to continue to direct what is left of the Quartzsite Police Department is a direct insult to every brother in blue that has died in the line of duty. Please keep in mind that I like others in Quartziste only are looking for a un-bias and full criminal investigation.
Respectively,
Paul Staudt
[Sgt. Lane agreed to forward all information provided by Mr. Staudt to DPS in Phoenix for investigation]
Ed Foster, Mayor of Quartzsite, reports that he encountered a man identified only as “Stubby” at the Times Restaurant. Foster had just paid his check, walked outside, and was warned by the man not to return to the restaurant.
AZ-Independent claims to have a copy of an alert issued by DPS. Today, the mayor of Quartzsite, Ed Foster, called DPS on a special number provided him during the town’s State of Emergency declared by the Town Council in his absence. He was reliably informed that DPS is unaware of any such terror alert for Quartzsite area.