Former Council member calls Council “staff directed puppets”

I read, with some interest the front-page story of a local publication titled “City Hall — is it working?” As a former City Council member I consider myself to be fairly informed enough to add some enlightenment to that question and to throw a little past history in at the same time.

First of all, in my opinion the only reason the editor’s “discovery” of responsiveness/accessibility at this point in time (doesn’t have a lot to do with being the media) is in part because Roger Kolman, a dedicated public servant and very special individual, is the “acting” city manager, but, most importantly, Rick Buss is gone.

I believe the city will function more efficiently and harmoniously without Rick Buss. Why? This is just a snapshot of Rick’s administration, up close and personal; some of it isn’t very pretty but true AND there is more to it than Rick’s shortcomings.

Rick set most of the policy (which by the way is a function of the Council; the city manager is only to administer). All significant interaction and dialogue with staff had to go through Rick and be approved (or not) by him.

A former editor of the Monitor wrote an unbecoming but factual editorial about “city hall”. Rick sent her an email that intimated to her that future access for interviews, staff contact or meetings would be denied to her if it she continued. She asked me for a meeting, and I personally read that email.

CVS Pharmacy had their shelves stocked and was ready to do business weeks before they were allowed to open. The company attorney was on the phone almost daily, imploring any influence I might have to get someone to just call him back. It should have been a simple solution; all they needed was a sign permit. The city not only would not work with them towards resolution, they wouldn’t even return a phone call. I got involved; h_ _ _, they wouldn’t return my phone calls. Why? Rick set policy.

One Maricopa citizen had” time-dated” videos of concrete trucks pouring foundation slabs next to his house and in his neighborhood for weeks between the hours of 1-3 a.m. The sheriff responded to his calls on numerous occasions but would not issue a citation even though it was obviously an infraction of the noise ordinance. Those videos were made available to city hall and every Council member. To my knowledge, I was the only one who ever actively responded. I drove to that neighborhood, (more than once), checked out pours and measured the distance. He was absolutely within his rights to expect response, enforcement and relief. When I challenged the lack of response and/or action, he was labeled as a troublemaker, and his complaints, though documented, were disregarded. Consequently, nothing was done. Why? Rick set policy.

I had citizens repeatedly calling/emailing me because of the ongoing problems with contractors, builders, etc. who had total disregard for the quality of their lives and neighborhoods. They also could not get a response or reaction from city hall. I personally left numerous voicemails and emails to the public works director over damaged roads, impassable streets and flooded driveways – ignored and unanswered. Why? Rick set policy.

On one occasion I recognized from the dollar figures in the budget report that it was obvious that one of the consultants was in violation of her contract. It is amazing still, as a city council member; that Rick demanded I submit a public records request to review a contract that had already been presented to the council at a public meeting. I had to threaten to go to the Secretary of State before Rick would produce the contract. That took more than three weeks.

You should know that this contract was in a file in his desk drawer, less than 12 inches and a two-second reach. What happened to the three-day rule? He knew she was working twice as many hours as the contract allowed and being paid accordingly, he knew that I knew, and he was stalling. Unfortunately, once again it turned out to be a waste of my time and emotions. Same-o-same-o: I went to Rick; he brushed me off, and, as usual, I couldn’t get anyone else to care enough to engage. I’m not aware when or if anything was ever done. Why? Rick set policy.

There was a land attorney representing several developers. She was pressing the city pretty hard. The lack of response and lack of action at city hall was delaying construction and costing hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. She was also communicating with me on a regular basis and documenting everything that was or was not happening. I began my own inquiry, and I wanted answers. Rick called me into his office behind closed doors. He made some fairly derogatory innuendos about her conduct. He told me he had this same conversation with the city attorney. I will attest to you that this lady’s integrity and morals are above reproach. Rick’s implications and motives are obvious. I think the average person can draw his or her own conclusions and agree this was despicable.

It is difficult to understand why so many were so blind for so long, and. more incredibly, that some still are.

There were situations where Councilman Dunn and I were publicly critical of Rick’s administration. Rick manipulated technicalities in campaign law and campaign reporting to threaten us with fines and expulsion from office. In my opinion it was a meant as a veiled warning for us to shut up. It didn’t work.

Bob Jackson, public works director, wrote a letter to the editor extolling Rick’s virtues as city manager. Why wouldn’t he? He was one of Rick’s handpicked cronies from the “good old boy network,” and he was paid more as a part time consultant than many full time public works directors around the state.

In my opinion, because I witnessed it daily for almost two years, the good things that happened in Maricopa were in spite of Rick Buss not because of him.

I think it is unconscionable that four members of the City Council would vote to give him $80,000 in severance pay while he is still under investigation. But, on the other hand (tongue in cheek), maybe whatever it cost to get rid of him is well worth it to the citizens of Maricopa.

Transparency? Ioanna Morfessis, as an extremely qualified professional “consultant” for economic development, has been compensated somewhere around $500,000 over the last three years. Don’t the citizens of Maricopa deserve to see a report card of her accomplishments, to see where their hard earned tax dollars are going? I’ve never been able to get one. Why? Rick set policy.

More recently, during the first week of April, I hand delivered eleven packets in manila envelopes to the city hall front desk for Rick Buss, the Mayor, all the council members, Amy Haberbosch, the finance director and the Police Chief. The city had not issued a RFP for new police facilities, but it was in the council notes so I put together a proposal packet, based on their consultant’s report for cost of land acquisition, to inform them of availability. To this date, not one single person who received the packet has had the professionalism or common courtesy to make any kind of response. Why? Rick set policy.

Over a month later I spoke with Amy Haberbosch, and she said she didn’t receive the packet and knew nothing about it. My first question would be? Who else didn’t receive it? Who or why did someone intercept it, or did they? More of Rick’s policy? How will I know?

Here is the point (which in reality is not about Rick Buss since he is history); it is to address the root of the problem:

Number One: Too many of the council members for too long have been basically staff directed puppets. Why? They lacked leadership. Where? The real crux of the problem is in the lack of leadership of Mayor Kelly Anderson. From my observations, interaction and involvement as a council member, it is my opinion he is a follower; he allowed Rick to have too much control over setting and/or directing his own policy and allowed him to micromanage the city. It is time for him to take responsibility for the muck and mire we are in today and to stand up for the citizens of Maricopa and say, “The Buck Stops Here.”

Unfortunately, and much to my regret, I was instrumental in Kelly being appointed by the first elected City Council as mayor instead of Edward Farrell. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the citizens of this city, and especially to Edward Farrell, for that momentary lack of good judgment. If you decide to run for mayor, Edward, and you need a campaign manager. call me! I think you could win.