Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.
The following is the complete text of the statement read by La Paz County Administrator Dan Field on behalf of the Board of Supervisors.
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Before going into any details about last week, clearly La Paz County currently owes the 2007 Judgment, attorney’s fees, and interest awarded to Yakima Composting. This cannot be denied, the jury of our peers found the County responsible and their decision has been upheld by the Court of Appeals and effectively by the Arizona Supreme Court denying review. In November 2009 we came close to settlement and I still believe we can get the Judgment behind us.
The challenge is how do we resolve the Judgment and put it behind us. Frankly, if the Board had $12.8 Million we would be hard pressed to not pay the Judgment. Unfortunately, we do not have anywhere that amount. The County at this point has about $3 Million of which all but approximately $100,000 is restricted by federal, state, and contractual obligations for specified uses.
Of the very small amount remaining these funds are devoted to maintaining “essential services” such as the Assessor, Recorder, Treasurer, Board, Finance, etc., which are offices necessary in the functioning and operation of a County government as an arm of the State.
Does that mean it is impossible to settle the Judgment? The answer is no, but it makes it very difficult. Especially when the Board must not only comply with State mandates, but also, forecast the future impacts in an unknown, extraordinary economy and tumultuous political climate.
For Yakima’s attorneys to put forth that nothing has been in the works for the last three years is untrue. The accurate facts are that this Board has been attempting to settle this matter several times. Although it appears from the outside that the matter has had no attention this is not true! Everyday the Board and I need to deal with the fact that we have the Yakima Judgment hanging over the County’s heads. We live it, day in and day out.
(To read on, click through.)
As an example of working on the subject, with the help of a local retired businessman, we believed we had a settlement in late October, early November of 2009. In fact, this Board paid Yakima one-half million dollars as good faith to enter a settlement where the primary terms were negotiated. Unfortunately, once the $500,000 was paid, Yakima began to adjust the material terms of the settlement. In the later part of December 2009, Supervisor Drum and myself attended negotiation meetings with Yakima in Phoenix to again attempt to work out the details.
In order to pay the Judgment debt it was necessary for the County to borrow funds through bonding to build a pelletizing facility. Basically, the County would be once again in business with Yakima. Of course, bonding if issued, requires the County to not only be able to make payments of principal and interest, but also, requires current financials and audits in order to get the best interest rates.
During the last part of November 2009 and the first week of December 2009 the Arizona Governor released her budget showing that approximately $700,000 of discretionary State funds given to La Paz County was to be totally eliminated. The Arizona Legislature followed suit. The County had no ability to pay the debt on the bonds, if we decided to enter the revised settlement. Moreover, the County had no ability to pay $27,500 of month payments to Yakima awaiting the building of the facility.
As a result of the settlement failing, the Board allowed the appeal to continue. While the appeal was going through the process, we were continued working towards an anticipated future resolution by completing the County financial statements and audits in preparation of settlement in order to determine our fiscal condition. We’ve been in discussions through our County Supervisors Association’s lobbyist with the State of Arizona for possible State solutions. We’ve been in discussions with our legislative panel for any potential legislative fix to pay the Judgment. We have reviewed, as a backup alternative, the process for filing a Chapter 9 Bankruptcy if all else failed.
In the year that followed the Board encountered a “perfect storm”, between the State Legislature’s sweeping, reducing, and pillaging of County revenues; to a county-wide flooding emergency in January of 2010; and the general reduction in the economy overall affecting revenues. Clearly, this Board has been concerned about the Judgment. Surely, the $500,000 given by the County Board in good faith evidences their concern to resolve the matter and that this Board has not ignored Yakima. With the external uncontrollable forces that have happened over the last year the Judgment is yet another financial burden on a budget where there is currently very little wiggle-room.
What we did discover was that any future partnership relationship would not work and only result in future litigation down the road. We need a clean break from this situation.
Even before the November, 2009 failed settlement we had been in discussions with Yakima. In early May, 2009, I contacted Jim Willett on behalf of this current Board of Supervisors and he met with each Board member separately and discussed the issues. At the time, Mr. Willett did not want to be in the waste business and suggested that settlement would be best achieved by creating new biosolids business opportunities; we agreed. However, the same concerns were raised associated with the location of the landfill and the trucking routes of biosolids that would continue to greatly impact areas of our County, such as Quartzsite.
Thereafter, in June of 2009, I met with Jim Willett and his partner to discuss other alternatives for settlement. At the meeting I gave them the most current audits of the County. The audits were the most current available; however, were several years in arrears. Upon taking office the current Board discovered that the County’s financial statements and audits were not being completed since 2004.
The completion of the financial statements and audits were imperative in order to determine the fiscal condition of the County. It was at this meeting that Yakima indicated several options of conveyance of County enterprise departments and back tax property. None of the items would satisfy the Judgment completely to be included in settlement, such as the conveyance of the Golf Course, the convey of the County Parks, the conveyance of Ted’s Truckstop in Quartzsite a tax delinquent property held in trust by the County for the State of Arizona, etc. However, due to federal and state obligations none of these suggestions would be available legally.
The conveying of the landfill has been a topic raised by Yakima. Again, State law requires the County to provide landfill services to its residents in perpetuity. Even if we contracted for services nothing would ensure that those services would continue indefinitely, and therefore, would require other alternatives such as the development of a new landfill, which is not only costly but difficult to properly site. Moreover, we would lose what little control we would have as to what types of waste were being dumped. The landfill is already licensed to accept several different forms of special waste. In addition, the proposed Yakima deal for the landfill was that the entire landfill of 640 acres would be conveyed, including 480 acres patented through BLM for government purposes only. The most concerning matter of conveying the landfill besides the increased transport of wastes through local communities is that the proposal included that the Judgment would stay in place until payment of the entire Judgment was paid.
Finally, what occurred last week in our County was very unfortunate and costly. As most of you now know, many lives of innocent employees and families were needlessly impacted by the filing and service of Writs of Garnishment in the amount of $12.8 Million on bank accounts held by the County Treasurer.
What was disheartening was that instead of impounding and holding solely La Paz County funds controlled by the Board of Supervisors; Yakima held hostage all funds that the County Treasurer holds as the fiduciary agent for all Special Taxing Districts including the School, Fire, Sanitary, Irrigation Districts, etc. Yakima’s attorneys were trying to take $12.8 Million owed under the Yakima Judgment from every special district entity in La Paz County. The Judge decided that “as a matter of law” Yakima could not lawfully garnish the County Treasurer’s accounts and quashed the writs of garnishment citing a 1937 Arizona case.
I always try to find a silver lining in every cloud. Although there was no need to give the Board of Supervisors a wakeup call; the action had the affect of finally waking up the State of Arizona that La Paz County has a problem that affects the State’s departments as well.
It’s very uplifting that you are finially letting us, the residents know exactly what is happening. Mayby this information will curb some of the half-truths and outright lies that are perpetrated by a few . Some who are not even tax-paying residences who also owe the Town of Quartzsite fees that were set by a judge. One of which claims to be a 100% american.
Hi Gracie,
If you think Dan Field is letting you know what’s happening, you are either naive or just another disinfo agent for the Dan Field Is Great Club!
I don’t pay for my own tyranny. This makes me 100% American.
You, on the other hand, go along with these Losers With Titles, what does that make you?
Is King Clapperton, a 22 year retired Sheriff’s Deputy, who stood up today and yelled at The Board Of Supervisors, YOU’RE FIRED. Is he a loud mouth trouble maker too?
King is not a trouble maker because he has the ability to get his points across and express his discontent while still being orderly and respectful.
Unlike others who cannot express discontent without being disrespectful and disorderly.
This is why King is a respected member of the community; while you are considered a community jester who shuts down meetings, gets arrested, and later convicted by a jury.
Back on topic, while I do appreciate Mr. Field FINALLY letting the citizens know whats going on; we all know this statement would never have been released without the writ fiasco. Hence, the BoS DID need a wake up call. They should have been releasing this info every step of the way, it shouldn’t take court action to keep the public informed.
There’s that not so common sense again.
If anyone wants to see the video of todays events, call me and we’ll meet. This is not America. Your smear job here doesn’t excuse the facts. I was not disorderly and I was not disrespectful. Once again you speak without researching the facts like you have before. (you even bought a life preserver for the meteor that was going to hit Parker Dam, remember?)
And besides, if I was disrespectful, politicians, especially failed ones, HAVE TO TAKE IT. This is the one place where Americans can let their elected and non elected people (like Dan Field) know what the people are thinking.
You’ve admitted in previous posts that you can’t really say or do anything because you are a county employee. Your silence is consent!
King Clapperton had the courage to stand up (and even yell YOU’RE FIRED to the BoS) while you whimper away at the keyboard and attack me for doing the same thing King did. Sad!
P.S. When did I ever shut down a meeting?
P.P.S. Did you ever THINK why it DID take court action to finally inform the public?
Common Sense-
It sounds like many would agree with that, even people at the County who acknowledge the need to keep the public in the loop. If I were a betting man, I think the communication from the County on this issue will be improving greatly now, even if there’s nothing new to report.
John,
It’s the quality of communication that’s important now. Anyone can type or talk and say “See we’re keeping you informed”. Nothing could be further from the truth with this gang in charge. Dan Field is infamous for misleading, as evidenced by his words above. There was no real sincere attempt by the Supervisors to settle this, only when they got slapped with the garnishment did they take notice. There are so many misleading and flat out lies in Dans statement, he ought to be ashamed of himself. But with his many years of practice in the disinfo game, he actually buys his own BS. I think the word for this is pathological
Why don’t you print Mr. Willetts side of the story?
Jim Willett can speak to us anytime he wants.
True, but you go out of your way to publish the County’s side of the story but never go out of your way to get the story of the other side. What gives?
This comment is intended to cause the discussion to focus on how to get on a path to solve the issue not continue to whine and moan on how we got here. We got a problem and need to start fixing it. Here goes.
1. All elected officials tak a 10% pay cut. refusal will result in recall or vote out of office
2. BOS cut County Manager salary by 10%
3. All county employeess at or over $40.000 to take a 5% pay cut
4. Cut 10% from each operating budget
5. Eliminate Certified Park Ranger postions
6. Eliminate Emergency services Dilrector and staff
7. Cut extra salary awarded to all Chief Deputy Positions
8. No take home cars to anyone beyond 25 miles
9. Eliminate all county cell phones, take home computors and other electronic devices
10. no cost of living or step increases to anyone
11. 1/2 cent sales tax increase
12. All net profits from any County Enterprise going to the general fund to be earmarked for debt payment
I am sure more can be added by those who know the internal workings within County Government. But whatever is saved by these suggestions and future suggestions isto be bundled into a yearly payment toward our debt until paid. Lets get going toward ACTION, not finding fault. I think these ideas would result in 300,00 to 400,000 toward our debt per year
Actions,
This is a good start. But the debt is growing at 10% a year. This will only slow down the growth of the debt time-bomb! Right now the County’s debt is growing at 1.3 Million per year. Next year it will be close to 1.5 Million. We can’t nibble around the edges here. We need deep and permanent cuts or seriously look into taking Mr. Willett up on his offer to trade for the landfill, IF that deal is still on the table!
The landfill is an enterprise and instead of endlessly researching how to transfer it to Willett lets just dedicate the net profits toward payment of the debt and retain ownership. Willett cannot make it that much more profitable than it is.
It’s already been researched and it can be done.
Net profits will be just another way for the County to stiff him, kind of like Hollywood accounting. If you want to pay off this debt, make it a percentage of Gross Revenue.
But let’s say the landfill is not the right trade. He did say he would take the golf course as well. The point is we have assets and we need to get this debt off the books as soon as humanly possible. You’re fiddling while Rome burns! (Is that you Dan?)
Roth,
You keep mentioning this video you took. Is it online? YouTube?
I don’t intend on meeting you, but I’d check it out online.
I have a whole collection of videos which show bad behavior by La Paz County politicians, police, etc.. It’s all at my lawyers office and when I can I’ll post it ALL online.
Check back with me later…
Roth, where are the videos as you promised? Please post by Friday. Thank you for your compliance.
M,
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[Insults and derogatory remarks are outside the site rules. -J]
Action I couldn’t agree with you more on most of what you listed below.
All elected officials tak a 10% pay cut. refusal will result in recall or vote out of office
(Since the board members maybe make about 30,000 a year and have other income I say 30% cut)
2. BOS cut County Manager salary by 10%
(again this is not enough she makes way too much for what she does 20%)
3. All county employeess at or over $40.000 to take a 5% pay cut (It’s not their doings it’s the doings of the board members and Co mgr)
4. Cut 10% from each operating budget( law enforcement/911 is already been robbed pretty much so has the others)
5. Eliminate Certified Park Ranger postions(Excellent idea neither one of them are needed)
6. Eliminate Emergency services Dilrector and staff (not sure who your talking about here if you mean Biro and Mimi the County don’t pay them homeland security pays them. )
7. Cut extra salary awarded to all Chief Deputy Positions ( There are no Chief Deputy’s)
8. No take home cars to anyone beyond 25 miles (No one takes them home except ntf and that is operated out of County funds)
9. Eliminate all county cell phones, take home computors and other electronic devices( County cell phones are needed to contact people in the field when some things just can’t go ove the radio’s)
10. no cost of living or step increases to anyone (not sure if you know but there hasn’t been for the last 3 or 4 years.)
11. 1/2 cent sales tax increase
(maybe 1 cent salex tax increase.
Mr. Roth, you are a true vulgarian.
Just wait until Billy Wayne catches you in this insult. You have fallen again and showing your true color. And you say you are a married man….. disgraceful.
Admit it, there are no videos, shame on you.
M – I aint got nothin left in the tank. Im for sakes heavan against bad words cuase they hurt feelins. I believe in the freeest speech and I want free speech for all peple on this site and that includes roth. I dont want none of his speech sqaushed cause it fun to read. plus if his gets squeshed whos next on the list. I like my speech bein free and dont want it tookin away. I think Roth and I cna agree on that i do beleive.
What everyone needs to understand is that just paying this judgment off is simply NOT an option. The county cannot cut enough of its budget to make significant payments to Yakima while still being able to function. Especially considering that the State is going to be hacking away at more of our state funds, so the county will have to make cuts to offset those. Even before taking yakima into consideration.
Even if you cut the Certified Park ranger (which should be done even if Yakima wasn’t an issue,) and cut employee salaries, and trimmed anything in the budgets left to trim; you’re talking a savings of only a few hundred thousand a YEAR.
Even if, by some miracle, the county could cut 300,000 a year out of the budget and still function, it would take 43 years to pay off Yakima. 400,000? 32 years. 500,000? 26 years.
Most of the major county offices are already running with a skeleton crew. Sheriffs’, County Attorney’s, Public Defenders, and Courts included. Those are services that HAVE to be provided for the county to remain a government entity. The fat we can trim won’t come CLOSE to providing enough funds to make payments to yakima.
There is only two outcomes that will come of this.
1: A settlement agreement like the ones previously proposed: Either giving Yakima land to operate a new facility or turning over a county asset to Willett. Such as the dump.
2: Chapter 9 Bankruptcy. The longer this takes, the more and more likely that seems. If option 1 proves to be legally impossible, this is all we have left.
Here’s a little insight into what is going to be the most likely outcome, and our Counties future. In 2009 Westfall Township in PA filed for Chapter 9 Bankruptcy for…..losing a massive lawsuit. Here’s a few articles I’ve found about what happened with them. Will give us some insight on what will happen to us in the next few years.
http://www.wnep.com/news/countybycounty/wnep-westfall-township-files-for-bankruptcy,0,4660471.story
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/westfall-twp-s-first-in-the-state-bankruptcy-may-not-be-pennsylvania-s-last-1.695242#axzz1DXpQapGn
http://www.thepublicpurse.com/2010/03/12/chapter-9-municipal-bankruptcy-in-pennsylvania/
As much as I hate to say it, this looks like the best option for La Paz. Westfall Park’s situation with their Lawsuit directly mirrors ours with Yakima. If I were a betting man, I’d bet a few bucks that this will be our future. And it really doesn’t seem THAT bad. Not good, but not horrible either.
Common sense–thank you for posting this article about Westfall. I think this sort of thinking is becomming way too prevalant, however, this may be the only way to resolve this problem created by past B O S’s. We cannot blame the current group except for possibly dragging their feet on this problem.
I don’t support their County Manager for his actions or inactions in guiding the B O S.
I don’t support the adding of unnecesary job positions for County Parks when we are in such dire strats with our budget shortfalls.
I don’t support our County paying for Golf course equipment when John Drum says that the golf course is a good self supporting business.
There are many ways to run a County if only we had our B O S on top of everything. For instance, Holly lives the way down in Cibola, yet the County gives her probably the worst gas-gussling vehicle they have. That’s not to smart–why not a 40 mpg car?
That’s enough for now–once again, John, thanks for letting us let off steam.
Glad to see that some of the discussions are related to specific ideas on how to start climbing out of this hole. My suggestions were centered on everyone having to feel some pain, from elected officials, high paid employees, budget reductions, and all tax payers and visitors with the tax hike I suggested. I agree cell phones are not alot of money but we do not need them, what did we do before they existed. The county seemed to still operate. Law enforcement has radios as do other county departments. Once you start adding the little things with the bigger things we might be supprised how much could be found. But keep up the discussion and if enough of us can start agreeing on something their might be enough of uss to effect change. Doing something is better than continuing to pay for more attorneys.
Common Sense,
Spoken like a true government employee! Anyone with half a brain could cut MORE than just a few hundred thousand dollars a year from this budget. Dan Fields position alone is over 100,000 dollars a year plus benefits. We could totally eliminate this position. It is not necessary, and was not necessary for many years. If the County Attorney stopped playing games with your money on political persecutions, we’d probably find another 100 to 200K a year. The war on drugs is a colossal failure. Who knows how much we waste there, but I bet it’s more than you and I can even imagine. And how about we stop imprisoning people for victimless and non violent crimes, we’d save a fortune there and we could cut down on the police state we live in. I bet if we took away the free gas most government employees get we’d save a few hundred thousand on just that alone. If we just cut 10% from the budget, there’s an easy million a year right there.
But if you want to bankrupt your community (it already is) go ahead. But remember, there were people warning you about this years ago but the media and the community and the politicians fought them. Those that saw the handwriting on the wall years ago should be your Supervisors.
John, Sorry for telling M to kiss my ass. If I had said kiss my buttocks, would that have been allowed?
No.
That’s silly!
In normal circumstances, input by concerned citizens is not only solicited, by also appreciated. La Paz County is not a normal circumstance. Those who have given thought to possible solutions should be respected and their input given consideration. But not in La Paz County, which is, in my opinion, the very essence of this situation.
All sovereignty originates within the individual. The foundation of our Nation is based on Natural Law. So, a citizen is the sovereign power in Natural Law. The citizen “gives” a bit of their sovereignty to the State, a bit of their sovereignty to the Federal, and a bit of their sovereignty to the local governments, and retains the rest. (Sovereignty resides in the individual, and if the individual gives sovereignty, the individual can certainly take it back). In return for that sovereignty, those governments follow Parliamentary Procedures, established to protect the rights of minorities’ opinions. (Not race or ethnic minority, but those who are not in the majority consensus of debate or opinion).
Fisher started this lawsuit for reasons still unknown. A minority of citizens questioned and challenged the County Government on this decision. The minority dissenters where summarily discarded and ignored. There was no debate, Parliamentary Procedure was not enforced and citizen sovereignty was abrogated. Natural law gave way to Common Law. The Courts ruled against the County, the County threw itself upon more courts, effectively subrogating citizens’ sovereignty and county sovereignty to the court’s jurisdiction in common law.
Now, I do not see any way to settle this without more court action, which requires more lawyers. LPC citizens have lost their individual rights – you cannot negotiate your own personal protection from harm in this suit, and neither can the county for you. Do you think you can call Willett and ask to be insulated from the suit? How about the County, can they exempt you and your stuff from harm? Can you ask anyone to have your property left alone, or your job secured, or the local economy left unharmed because it wasn’t you that did this? I don’t think so. A judge will decide your future now, in my opinion. There is no one left with any sovereignty to negotiate with Yakima. Who has the authority? By what authority? Add to this to the fact that the County refuses to pay (“can’t get blood from a turnip”).
I do not remember anyone rallying around Yakima’s employees when the County locked them out of their workplace and impounded Yakima’s property and equipment. I don’t remember anyone having any concern for Willett, his employees or his wife and kids paychecks, or their bills, or their mortgages. Why is a county employee’s paycheck worth more than a Yakima employee’s paycheck? How is a local school teacher any more removed from this than a Yakima equipment operator?
Willett said “All water under the bridge now”. While I appreciate people on this blog thinking their way through this, I suppose you may want to look at what you can do to protect yourself before the next Judge bangs his or her gavel. That one may hurt. You can’t save this government, and while trying to bring them more money to save the day seems noble, it is ridiculous. Giving this board more bullets is not the answer.
Good points Jerry. As a dissenter who has been repeatedly attacked, jailed and rammed through the courts, for simply disagreeing with this regime, (and having the audacity to use my God given 1st amendment rights at town hall meetings) in your humble opinion, I’m curious what you think is the answer?
Mr. McGuire,
Didn’t you leave this area? I too was against the lawsuit brought forward by Fisher and the others. I supported your recall efforts. But to knock this BOS for trying to keep this county afloat is just wrong.
Did you go to last BOS meeting?
I didn’t, I had to work. I was told, it was said, that this board has been trying to negotiate with Yakama.
They are doing the job we elected them to do. I work primarily in the Parker area. I live in the Parker area. I hear noting but positive things, from the community, about this board. My buddy has a route in the outline areas of this county and he hears nothing positive about this board.
There are just a few malcontents and you (cause you no longer live here) that are talking negatively about the BOS.
But hey at least you have Roth’s support.
Roth how’s the rag?”
Poor Michael Roth I have news so sad but true,
everyone’s tired of you running your mouth with redarick and spew.
You came to town as fast as a rocket, with your broke down van and empty pockets.
I know you wont think this poem is funny ,
but you should have something to smile about since you live on Oldham’s money.
You had plans and visions of living in sin,
so did napoleon look what happened to him!
You go to counsel meetings so vocal and wicked.
Not so bright when you consider you have been tried and convicted.
You ran your campaign as though you were the best.
Your head in the clouds and bashing the rest,
You ####### and was quite the schmoozer.
Now you have lost the election, don’t be a sore loser.
I got to give props to John and this site. He does allow the conversation to occur. I find it quite the contrast to the Pioneer. You have to give Name, Rank and Serial Number to post on their site and it is even censored. The Havasu site owned by the same company is like the pioneer used to be, free and open and allows conversation. The Pioneer site changed after the jury decision was announced and Fisher got flamed. Guess he still has full editorial control at the Pioneer. This is a taste of what happened when the jury decision made the paper;
http://www.parkerpioneer.net/articles/2007/09/10/news/parker02.txt
Good ole Gene. What a guy.
See how fast these are removed from the Pioneer site.
http://www.parkerpioneer.net/articles/2007/09/05/news/parker01.txt
Poet–that’s the best discription of Michael Roth that could ever be said–Thank you for the Poem.
sononshadows “when you took this job were you and IDIOT or did it make you that way?”
I agree with Gracie. Great words Poet!!!
Poet, you should ask where are the videos that Roth keeps promising; Roth only insults me when I ask him to keep his word.
I didn’t know Roth works for Mr. Oldham….. Why does Roth keep that a secret??
Lost in La Paz you are simply lost in the past.
How is it so few malcontents can cause such a stir? Well they don’t. The public has come out in support for the BOS. The key thing why, the public was informed on what they had been doing. Roth called his paper a true form of journalism. Why does it have a rumor mill? His paper is a tool, for people like you, who have no real facts just hate. Something had to have happened real bad for you to get that way, I will not speculate what it is.
The few malcontents on this site are just flat hateful. I have expressed opinions, and get called an idiot. When in fact I am hard working, with young kids, and support our local BOS and other elected officials in this county.
I hope the BOS keeps up the good work. If and when a settlement comes some of you will say they paid too much. As a matter of fact, if some of you were in the BOS positions, you would have sold out the county to line your own pockets. FLAT FRICKEN FACT!!!!
sunonshadows,
I stand by what I said above, “I suppose you may want to look at what you can do to protect yourself before the next Judge bangs his or her gavel.”
If that means sticking by the Board, good for you. We all have choices. I choose to control as much of my own fate as possible, and not leave it up to politicians who have, in my opinion, persistently demonstrated poor judgement, lack of integrity, fear and reckless disregard for La Paz County and her citizens. That is not leadership.
You assert that someone stood to “line their pockets” in this matter. I don’t see how – show me the money! Where is it? If there was a way to profit from this, maybe the County really did miss an opportunity.
Personally, I don’t think there is a good business model for a sludge operation, therefore, I don’t think embracing or being involved in a sludge operation is the answer. But I could be wrong. I’m ok with that too. I’m not going to throw $500,000 at someone to learn that however.
What do you think the future holds for you and the County?
Im not no expert or anything like that but facts be facts and Jerry mcguire should not folloe the words of roth I do beleive. Jerry are you goin to buddy up with roth? if so you are goin to get bit by him I do beleve. Roth aint no patriot and he aint no true sayer he just liks attension like a little kid.
Appreciate your concern and advice Billy. I dance to the beat of the voices in my own head. Ain’t anyone on this board playing that tune. Much obliged – Jerry
Mr. McGuire,
You hit the nail on the head. “Show me the money! Where is it?” This statement was made in the lining of the pockets. Well where is (THE MONEY) it for this board?
You disapproved of the last board, along with many others. Now you disapprove of this board (you not living in the county). WHO DO YOU APPROVE OF MR. McGUIRE? Let us all know please. Maybe you will move back her and run for BOS you have Roth’s support.
Good day.
Well one thing is apparent here. These folks share a common hatred of Roth more than they have the ability to comment sensibly on the topic. What the hell did you do to these poor folks Roth?
Lost,
What the hell did I do? I spoke Truth To Power! I guess that’s bad in La Paz County. Notice how NONE of them will intelligently discuss my posts. I know they can’t because these are just a bunch of Dan Field sycophants.
Poet: Never had a van. And Richard Oldham kicked me out of his office when I wouldn’t kowtow to him. I guess that puts me on his payroll??????
And fwiw, a sore loser is someone who tries to help their community and once they lose one itty bitty battle they quit. The difference with me is I NEVER quit. Get over it and debate me on the facts.
M: I’ll drop by your office and show you the videos once you answer my last question to you. And did you notice Ron Paul won the CPAC poll? He beat out all of your neocon (fake conservative) heros.
Gracie: Critical think much?
Billy: All of your imaginary friends in Salome want you to move. You’re embarrassing them.
Sunonshadows: Here’s a quote for you….”It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.”
– Samuel Adams
The brush fire is now a full blown crown forest fire and it’s headed straight towards you and your home! You better hide in your basement.
I appreciate the efforts of some here to keep the thread on topic. Does anyone agree with Jerry that getting into another sludge operation may not be the solution? If so, are there other viable alternatives?
Later tonight or tomorrow morning I’d like to open a new thread with an article setting out some of the proposals that may be on the table, allowing am opportunity to discuss them. Who knows, maybe the Board can use some of your ideas around the negotiating table with Yakima.
Does anyone have an alternative idea they’d like me to add to the list?
It’s my personal belief that Mr. Roth detracts from the serious discourse on this page. He attracts, for obvious reasons, the fringe elements. I am not attempting to argue with Mr. Roth. One only needs to read the posts and draw their own conclusions. I am a supporter of the First Amendment and I do not want to stifle free speech. This is an outstanding forum for the expression of various viewpoints and I would continue to allow Mr. Roth his input. He is not always wrong and he may generate good ideas in the future.
There are people in this county that understand the dynamics of our situation. If the problems we face were easy to resolve those problems would have been resolved by now. The easiest thing one can do is point fingers. Pointing fingers usually erodes the trust that is vital to building the necessary relationships to forge ahead and solve the problems that currently exist.
Anyone that believes our problems can be solved through the acts of one person alone truly does not understand government and how its structured. The economic crisis this county / country is embroiled in is not going away any time soon. The decisions that are made now need to be well thought out and allow for the many variables that the county may encounter through this economic crisis.
I believe there are some very intelligent people here in LaPaz county, if they would only stand up and be counted.
If the Town of Quartzsite is any indication, the people that would be very good for the Town will not get involved because they are afraid of being on Jades blog. That blog will tear anybody apart because it has Roth, Stout, Sias and Jade putting down anyone that disagrees with them.
Therefore, any one that does not want to be attacked by those few will not get involved with any polotics whatsoever.
I certainly do not have the answers, but I was hoping that the B O S would have met with Mr Willits instead of letting Dan run the show. Guess that’s all I have–thank you.
sunonshadows,
I understand you are scared and angry, rightly so. You can be mad at me, blame me and scream at me all you want, it doesn’t bother me. But it isn’t going to make things better for you. You need to do for you, and stop counting on others for your livelihood, and stop blaming others when you are not tended to as often you think they should. Grow up, use spell check on public forums, and think about you and your kids future.
BTW, I have no hard feelings against Roth or anyone else on this board. Sorry if I implied otherwise.
Lapazarizona,
What do you mean I attract fringe elements, for obvious reasons? I could say the same about you.
If you are a fan of the First Amendment, the next time you see John Drum and Jeff Gilbert, maybe you can teach them what it means. These two are the fringe. Chief of Police Jeff Gilbert arrests people who dare question him. And John Drum stops people from speaking or seeking justice. There’s been a lot more than one person who had to deal with him and his antics in court. He still thinks he’s the man in the black robe.
Gracie: The Blog you are talking about has only been around less than a year, and we are to blame for Quartzsite’s problems??? WTF? We are trying to FIX the problems. What have you done to correct or improve your community, except complain about me. I have heard no answers or suggestions from you whatsoever. We have a nightmare situation here in Quartzsite, and fortunately a few people have had the courage to step up and try to get rid of the “entrenched management” that got us here in the first place. This makes us bad???
The answer to our problems is easier than you guys think. But it requires dropping this insane belief that government is your friend and is here to help you. I truly understand government. ALL government is force. Government doesn’t create anything. Anything the government has they took from someone else. Government doesn’t make money, and it usually wastes money. Because of this we need to keep government as limited as possible. The answers to our problems are in the marketplace, not a bureaucrats office. The Founding Fathers knew that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely (Lord Acton). Here in La Paz County, your elected officials act like they are your masters, instead of the other way around. To unscrew the situation here means you need to get rid of the people who caused the problems in the first place, not run to them with suggestions.
A few years ago a small group of concerned citizens in Parker tried to warn the many the error of the politicians ways. What did they get out of it? Nothing but ridicule and scorn. But history has proven them right and they should be making the decisions for the county, NOT the ones who are now. What La Paz County has done is reward failure!!! Stop doing this and the problems we have now will go away.
Mr. Roth, you are not mainstream and that is all I was trying to convey. The majority of people want government. No government would be a catastrophe in my opinion, yet you promote no government. An argument about the role of government and its size is more in line with mainstream thinking, but removing government in its entirety is fringe philosophy.
Most people would not call our government a tyranny, yet you promote that as well. The Declaration of Independence provides a thorough description of what tyranny is through its well documented explanation of the British monarchy during that time period. Most people in the mainstream believe that we should be trading off some freedom for the return of the services the government provides. You do not agree with that and that makes you fringe.
I do not understand why you would object to being called fringe when you espouse fringe beliefs? Most mainstream people do not agree with you. That does not make the mainstream correct, but its clear your belief system is supported by a limited number of people at this time. In time your views may become the mainstream.
The answer to solving the problems we face is not simple or it would have been done already. Your statements about government may be true to a certain extent, but have little application here because the will of the people to make the changes you promote is lacking. That goes to my statement about understanding how government is structured. You can promote the idea that government is bad, but that is not going to change government. To make a change in the way government operates, you need to build a consensus and trust among the people. If you go through history who has been able to create a long lasting government, with the freedom we all want, without building a consensus and trust among the people.
lapazarizona,
Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said “People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.” Giving up your freedom, any amount of it, for the feel good warmth of government, always ends in disaster.
I have never promoted no government. You are not allowed to put words in my mouth, and I’ll give you the same courtesy. If you read what I have written here, I believe in limited government. This is more mainstream than you want to believe. Most thinking Americans believe government has gotten out of control. You say most people are perfectly willing to trade some freedoms for government services. I say this is the reason for why we are where we are in America today. I also never said I objected to being called fringe, I’ve been called much worse. All I asked you was what you meant by I attract the fringe for obvious reasons.
I think your idea that people are willing to give up freedom for government services is outright kooky. Name one thing the government does well!
Another name I get called is radical. I don’t think I am radical either, I think what we have here in La Paz County and in America is radically different than what was the idea of America even just 30 years ago. If that makes me a crazy conspiracy theorist as John and others here have called me, so be it. This is not the America I was born into. All too many Americans go along with this crap and then bitch about it when the tyranny hits them personally. By then it’s too late! Just like those few in Parker a few years ago that wanted to recall the Supes because they saw their actions as irresponsible. The time to correct the errors is BEFORE it’s a disaster. Now this blog and KLPZ are starting to talk about solutions blah blah blah. You don’t close the barn door after the horses have already escaped.
In conclusion, the founding fathers and their patriot buddies were about 3% of the population when the revolution started. When it was nearing its end still less than half of the colonists agreed with them. Consensus is no way to lead!
Let me help start your idea page with this John. I have explained the efforts I tried on my website so everyone came now see what could have been.
http://www.andyjones.info
the NEWS section of the website is from when I ran for Supervisor in 2008. That is what I posted way back when. And here we are today.
Roth it just doesn’t pay to stand up in this county and speak your mind. Rational and critical thinking are not welcome here.
Here’s the problem with Mr. Roth, and thread after thread proves it. I myself am guilty of catering to this. But when he steps up to the podium, the thread takes a sharp turn and becomes about HIM. Instead of being about the topic at hand (IE the Yakima judgment) it becomes about Mr. Roth and all of his complaints about Government at all levels. That is counter productive. There are more posts commenting on Mr. Roth than there are commenting about Yakima!
This is what happens when you engage in grandstanding and name calling. Calling people who disagree with you, or politicians you don’t like, names shuts down a open exchange of ideas.
Tactically, Mr. Roth is no different than the far left liberals who have hijacked political discourse. If someone supports the actions of the Supes, or Chief Gilbert, etc… they are automatically corrupt, a cronie, an idiot, etc.. That’s no different than liberals calling people who criticize Obama racists, neocons, nazis’, etc… Having those virulent tactics on one side is bad enough. Having it on both is democratic poison.
Everyone needs to understand that different people have different points of view. Just because something is your opinion doesn’t make it irrefutable fact that only those who are in the conspiracy don’t agree with. A civil discourse is whats needed, not name calling and grandstanding. We need solutions, not finger pointing. This little blog can’t fix political discourse at the national level, but it can start to repair it at the county one.
Its easy to point out what went wrong. Its difficult to find solutions to fix it. Its time to stop saying what we “should have done” and start thinking about what we need to do from here on out. Can only play with the hand we’re dealt.
When John makes the new thread about this topic, I hope that everyone will stick to the topic at hand and no be baited into the Mike Roth tirades, myself included. I’d hope Mr. Roth would wake up and realize his tactics are counterproductive to his cause, and start exchanging ideas instead of virtriol. But I won’t hold my breath.
What you are “trying to do” is meaningless to what you are actually accomplishing. I hate to pull out a cliche, but the path to hell is paved in good intentions. You have to deal with the way this ARE, not the way you think they SHOULD BE.
The rest of us should just stay on point and ignore the tantrum going on in the corner. I realize this post is evident of the problem I am pointing out. But I hope that taking the time to point it out will help everyone, myself included, to stay on topic from here on out.
Lost in LaPaz,
You are right about rational and critical thought not being welcome here, as evidenced by “common sense” tirade against me. Here is a man telling people to ignore me while ranting about me.
Common sense, this one’s for you. Post after post by you proves this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0
I got last word here and Roth aint no patriot. this to old for roth to go back and check. ha
FAIL!