Cottonwood residents should both be embarrassed and enraged by their current elected municipal council’s actions over the last two weeks.
Rather than loudly and vocally condemning this man’s actions toward the women who work for Cottonwood, three members of council voted against a resolution to censure him, which, in effect, condones his actions and tells female staffers: “Palosaari’s biweekly vote is worth more than your personal safety.”
Given that council now allows Palosaari to manhandle women at his pleasure with no consequences, it’s unclear if even a very public arrest by law enforcement and a photo of an appointed councilman in a Yavapai County Detention Center orange jumpsuit would be enough for his allies to condemn his actions.
Perhaps only if Palosaari sexually harasses his fellow council members’ wives or daughters will a majority on council move to condemn him.
Second, in the wake of that meeting, Cottonwood City Attorney Jenny Winkler and Cottonwood City Manager Scotty Douglass both tendered their resignations and will leave the city’s employment in March and April, respectively.
Both were hired after an extensive search last year and their loss will be a tremendous blow to the city of Cottonwood, which has now been decapitated of both its top professional staff and — clearly — its elected leadership.
We have heard nothing but positive comments from staff and residents about Douglass, who celebrated both his demeanor and his leadership style, especially as he overhauled city staff and maneuvered staffers into positions to exercise their talents to improve their community. That kind of leader is hard to find.
Both will stay on for at least 90 days pursuant to their separation agreements.
Note that I am writing this editorial on Monday, Jan. 8, the day before the Tuesday, Jan. 9 council meeting, so it’s unknown now what will have happened at Tuesday’s meeting by the time you read this.*
* Editor’s note: Cottonwood City Attorney Jenny Winkler resigned at 10:47 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, and Cottonwood City Manager Scotty Douglass informed council at 1:33 p.m. that he had been effectively terminated. Both departures were effective immediately. Council has a meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9. Neither will be in attendance.
After these officials depart, the city will be effectively rudderless, with an interim city manager and a contracted city attorney who will keep the ship of government from sinking but not from floundering.
The newest member of council, Michael Mathews, had told Councilwoman Helaine Kurot during the discussion of his candidacy for council that he *might* be willing to recuse himself from any discussion relating to fired Cottonwood Police Chief Steve Gesell. A state investigation determined that Gesell’s department had discriminated against a female officer on the basis of her sex and disability and ordered the city to settle the discrimination complaint. Gesell then threatened the interim city manager after council settled with the officer his department had victimized. Mathews had advocated for Gesell during the four months the chief was on administrative leave. Despite Mathew’s statement to Kurot, the first thing Mathews agendized was discussion of Gesell’s demand for a $680,000 payout to refrain from filing a lawsuit he’d likely lose.
It’s clear Mathews cannot be trusted to be an honest broker, as he is willing to deceive the public and his colleagues for power in order to potentially reward his friends with money extorted from you, Cottonwood residents and taxpayers.
Alongside Palosaari and Mathews is Councilwoman Lisa DuVernay, who, when not busy missing meetings, fails to understand what happens in them.
She alleged during the last meeting that Mayor Tim Elinski had physically threatened her, so we filed a public records request for any and all documents she had filed or plan to file regarding those allegations.
DuVernay also said she had filed a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, so we asked for that, too. She provided none of the documents she claimed to have filed.
She provided no documents she planned to file. She refused to produce a single document, email or record sent to the AG to validate her claim.
She forwarded one screenshot of one alleged email purportedly written by a city council member, but scratched out the name so we could not verify it with that official, if it was actually an official — note that emails from elected officials are public records under Arizona law.
Give that she misunderstands the nonpartisan status of municipal councils under Arizona law and disregards public records laws, we must question whether or not she is not a serious person, yet she unfortunately serves in elected office.
With this clown show going on behind the dais, there is not a city manager candidate in his or her right mind who would look at the current Cottonwood city government’s turmoil, learn how Winkler and Douglas departed and think to themselves, “This is a job I want!”
Given that both Camp Verde and Sedona are also looking for city managers right now, anyone who chooses to apply for Cottonwood is either foolish or the bottom of the barrel, unable to get hired by saner towns.
Fortunately, this is an election year, with Palosaari and Mathews’ seats both up for grabs. We urge residents to run for office and right the ship before Cottonwood takes on any more water.
