Five candidates sat in the Camp Verde Commmunity Library on Tuesday, July 24, along with Andrea Christelle, a moderator from the League of Women Voters Greater Verde Valley.
Mayor Charlie German and Councilwoman Robin Whatley were the incumbents at the forum, trying to hold onto their seats on the Camp Verde Town Council, while write-in candidate Alex Goetting challenged German for mayor, and Bruce George and Bill LeBeau joined Whatley in running for the three open seats on the council.
Missing from the forum were three of the other candidates running. Christelle read their opening statements, some including reasons for absence. Mayoral candidate Jackie Baker cited family issues that made her unable to attend. Carol German, running for council, had to attend a niece’s wedding in New York. Joe Butner, also running for council, did not attend, but did not provide a reason for his absence.
LeBeau cited his experience as a police officer in New York before his time volunteering with the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office as experience that would serve him on council. Whatley expounded on her life residing in Camp Verde and the surrounding towns, her long career as a teacher, and her continued volunteering and time as a council meeting attendee before running for office. George spoke of his previous time on the town council, including a stint as vice mayor, as well as his continued service on the Board of Adjustment and Planning and Zoning committee since he left the council.
Charlie German expounded on his history of public service in Camp Verde, first as a teacher and principal, before moving on to the town government, describing himself as a “person who loves his community and loves giving back to make things better for others.”
Goetting, owner of a brewing company, positioned himself as a “new voice for new ideas” against the status quo in Camp Verde, running against “a system that is broken.”
A central issue under discussion at the forum concerned spending and debt. “I am very, very worried about the debt that we’re accumulating,” LeBeau said in response to a question about what he would change about the town. He expressed worry that high borrowing would lead to higher taxes in the future. “In the budget this year, we’re paying one and a half million [dollars] just in payments to the debt that we have.”
Whatley pushed back on LeBeau’s assertion that the town is taking on too much debt.
“Standard & Poor’s financial services just gave the town a grade of AA minus rating,” Whatley said. She added that the town’s finances are in fine shape and that there are no plans to raise taxes. “We have $1 million more in our reserves than we’re required to have by state statute. For the last five years we’ve received a CAFR [Comprehensive Annual Financial Report] Award. These candidates that have a problem with town finances are using skewed numbers, and either have a problem with the sports complex or are neighbors to the sports complex. They’ve done everything they can think of, including suing our mayor, to keep the sports complex out of their backyard.”
Conversation about the town’s debt and spending then continued to discussion about the sports complex, and complaints by some that the planned park is too expensive and not worth its cost.
“I know for $8.5 million, it’s going to be a really nice park,” Goetting said. “But I think we should all think about what we’re getting from our government for $8.5 million.”
German defended the expenses approved to build the sports complex, saying the desire for more ball fields had been an initial reason for the town incorporating and that he intended to follow through on long-held desires of the town to build a park.
“I’m of the belief at 75 that there’s nothing we can’t do, and I am committed to make sure that we do what’s been voted on by the electorate of Camp Verde of how they want their community to grow, and that’s two-to-one vote by the electorate for the general plan.”
“Butler Park is overused,” George said. “We need more parks, and the sports complex is going to be a great addition.”
Perhaps the most contentious portion of the debate related to Goetting’s write-in candidacy. The moderator asked Goetting about why he was running as a write-in rather than under the normal election rules.
“I decided to be a write-in candidate because I believe that Town Council isn’t listening to the people,” Goetting said. He detailed an incident last year where he was charged with littering for putting up multiple public signs for his business on State Route 260, which he believes was an abuse of town authority. “Here we are seeing signs in the public right-of-way for campaigners. I think that’s wrong and it’s not fair, and that’s why I’m running as a write-in because something’s got to be done.”
Other candidates went after Goetting for his answer, arguing that the difference in the legal treatment of signs was reasonable, and that he had not answered the question of why he was running as a writein instead of through the normal process. German defended the charge against Goetting for putting up signs improperly, and the difference in legal status between signs for a business and campaigns.
“State law trumps local law when it comes to signs, and the state statute allows campaign signs, not necessarily business signs, and that trumps it,” German said.
“He had an opportunity to take a packet out, get the required signatures, and do it just like the rest of us did,” George said. “So it seems like a late date to do it.”
LeBeau came somewhat to Goetting’s defense on the sign issue, saying he hoped the town could accommodate local businesses instead of fighting them.
The primary election for Camp Verde Town Council members and mayor will be held Tuesday, Aug. 28. Early voting ballots will begin being mailed out on Wednesday, Aug. 1.
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
