Quartzite, AZ - the new Pahrump
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:46 am
The town of Quartzite, AZ is known in the state for challenging Pahrump as our candidate for small town big inferno title. It finally made the national news. The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, September 27, p. A8 had a story: Small-Town Politics, All-Out War.
First, you can find Quartzite on the map. Look on I-10 Phoenix LA about 30 miles short of beautiful Blythe, CA. It is one of those little towns that has a small core of about 3,500 residents who broil in the summer heat. Then comes winter and the place is inundated with 100,000 snow birds in their RVs who come from all places north to enjoy cheap living on the desert. As you might guess, there are colorful characters. The local bookstore is run by a strict nudist.
In August the town manager put the admin leave because of a question about a time sheet. Then the town attorney filed a restraining order to keep the town council from meeting. However, they met and put the town manager on leave for undisclosed reasons.
Then the assistant town manager unilaterally fired the police chief. Then the interim town manager then reversed that decision and put the assistant town manager on leave for undisclosed reasons. Now the town council has re-instated the police chief.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety have begun their fifth investigation into complaints of official corruption in two years. So far the AZ attorney general has declined to prosecute anyone because of lack of evidence. Quartzite is in La Paz County and the county attorney has asked the FBI to look into public Quartzite corruption.
Meanwhile the current mayor lost a recall election in 2011. He challenged the results in court which he lost and was ordered to pay the towns $2,200 in legal fees. He refused and ran again in June and was elected. Town officials say he cannot take office because of an ordinance barring anyone from office who owes the town money. The town attorney is on sick leave and could not comment. The mayor said he is going to sue the town over the appointment of a chair and vice chair which weakens his power.
The nudist book store owner called all of this, an embarrassment to the town.
The photo with the article shows the mayor in front of a nondescript scene of single wides and bunch of local cars - none younger than 50 years old. I like the old red Willys with brute tires and vertical exhaust pipes.
First, you can find Quartzite on the map. Look on I-10 Phoenix LA about 30 miles short of beautiful Blythe, CA. It is one of those little towns that has a small core of about 3,500 residents who broil in the summer heat. Then comes winter and the place is inundated with 100,000 snow birds in their RVs who come from all places north to enjoy cheap living on the desert. As you might guess, there are colorful characters. The local bookstore is run by a strict nudist.
In August the town manager put the admin leave because of a question about a time sheet. Then the town attorney filed a restraining order to keep the town council from meeting. However, they met and put the town manager on leave for undisclosed reasons.
Then the assistant town manager unilaterally fired the police chief. Then the interim town manager then reversed that decision and put the assistant town manager on leave for undisclosed reasons. Now the town council has re-instated the police chief.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety have begun their fifth investigation into complaints of official corruption in two years. So far the AZ attorney general has declined to prosecute anyone because of lack of evidence. Quartzite is in La Paz County and the county attorney has asked the FBI to look into public Quartzite corruption.
Meanwhile the current mayor lost a recall election in 2011. He challenged the results in court which he lost and was ordered to pay the towns $2,200 in legal fees. He refused and ran again in June and was elected. Town officials say he cannot take office because of an ordinance barring anyone from office who owes the town money. The town attorney is on sick leave and could not comment. The mayor said he is going to sue the town over the appointment of a chair and vice chair which weakens his power.
The nudist book store owner called all of this, an embarrassment to the town.
The photo with the article shows the mayor in front of a nondescript scene of single wides and bunch of local cars - none younger than 50 years old. I like the old red Willys with brute tires and vertical exhaust pipes.