As Quartzsite Weather Heats Up, Politics Cool, Awaiting Fall Election

In our last column we mentioned the continuing ruckus down at town hall. Since then, the town council met in regular session to consider the vacated mayoral seat. Many RVing readers expressed interest in Quartzsite’s future, and we post this as a follow-up to our last post.

In what Bill Moore, town councilman described as a, “pretty quiet” session, the council met this Tuesday and appointed member Wes Huntley “acting mayor.” Moore’s comments regarding the quietude of the session certainly mark a contrast with the special session we wrote about last week. Interesting are the comments of the reporter sent by the Parker Pioneer. Reporter John Gunekunst reflected that the meeting became,  “acrimonious as council members traded accusations and barbed comments with each other and members of the audience.” What a difference a week makes.

Huntley’s selection to fill Walt Akin’s post still leaves one seat on the council vacant. But in light of the upcoming September recall election for two council members, the body decided it might be best to just leave the seat open, and allow local voters to choose a replacement–or replacements–as the case may be.

This certainly doesn’t mean all is quiet at town hall. Bill Moore, one of the two council members up for possible recall, told RVing Quartzsite that his continuing interest in saving taxpayer money had drawn a bit of a sharp response. Moore told us that he is particularly concerned regarding allegations that some town employees are clocking in, then disappearing from the workplace. He said that when he questioned one of the alleged offenders he was told off in–shall we say–colorful language, and further told that even if he were a town council member, any absence from the workplace was none of his concern.

The offended Moore then filed a complaint with acting town manager, Alex Taft, asking her to advise the employee to have no contact with him. Moore said a short time later he was served with a notice of alleged workplace harassment, filed by–you guessed it–the employee Moore had been investigating. Moore shrugged his shoulders, told us he’d been in court on June 5 to respond to the complaint, and said that life in Quartzsite’s town hall goes on.

Town hall photo: R&T DeMaris