Consolidation Election Is Scheduled Tuesday

By Naomi Hatch
   For more than two years the towns of Snowflake and Taylor have been dealing with the issue of consolidation.
   Voters in Snowflake and Taylor will go to the polls on Tuesday, March 9, to determine whether the two towns will consolidate and, if so, whether the new town should be known as Snowflake-Taylor or Taylor-Snowflake.
   Also on the Taylor ballot will be a recall election, with John Scott and Gary Solomon seeking to replace Robin Palmer on the Taylor Town Council.
   The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Snowflake Social Hall, 78 W. Center, and the Taylor Fire Station, 411 W. Paper Mill Road.
   Residents had discussed the idea of consolidation with local leaders, and in February 2008 several members of both communities met and discussed possibilities of the two towns consolidating. As a result of that meeting, each council was asked to appoint members to a steering committee to explore the pros and cons of consolidation.
   At the Feb. 26, 2008, Snowflake Town Council meeting and the Taylor Town Council meeting the following evening, the councils took names of people interested, and in March they appointed individuals both for and against consolidation to the steering committee, which became the Consolidation Committee. At that time Taylor Town Manager Eric Duthie and Snowflake Town Manager Paul Watson advised their councils that if they began the process, they would need to follow through, making available any information requested by the Consolidation Committee.
   A group of Taylor residents spoke out against consolidation at the March 11, 2009, Taylor Town Council meeting, noting that they met a week earlier to organize a committee against consolidation. They have actively opposed consolidation since that time.
   The Arizona League of Cities and Towns facilitated the steering committee and gathered legal information as requested, gave information from other cities and towns in the state to the committee, and organized information that the committee had gathered to decide if the next step should be taken, which would be taking the issue to the councils so that they could decide whether to approve a resolution calling for a vote on the issue.
   Material was presented to both town councils by members of the Consolidation Committee, and Tom Belshe, deputy director of the league. At that time Belshe stated, “We are neutral on the idea of consolidation. The league takes no position; we are here to reflect analysis that came to the committee.”
   Chuck Dutcher, a member of the Consolidation Committee, attended the Tuesday, March 17, 2009, Snowflake Town Council meeting and stated, “We want people to vote informed, knowing the facts.”
   On April 2, 2009, the first public hearing was held with approximately 100 citizens in attendance. Belshe had information available both for and against consolidation, and was there to take questions. Any questions he needed to research were answered at the May meeting, which drew fewer citizens. Approximately 15 attended the June 4, 2009, meeting.
   In April 2009, the Committee of the Communities, a group of citizens in favor of consolidation, was organized.
   The agenda of the Taylor Council May 13, 2009, included a resolution to give residents the right to vote on consolidation, but the discussion turned to why to vote against consolidation or for consolidation, with many present opposing consolidation.
   Councilman Brian Birtcher moved to pass a resolution putting the question of the consolidation of Taylor and Snowflake to a vote of the people. After approximately a two-hour discussion, Birtcher withdrew his motion and the council tabled the item, because those in attendance expressed concern that no new town name was presented, and the Consolidation Committee lacked a business plan and budget.
   Taylor Mayor John Cole pointed out at the Aug. 12, 2009, meeting that there would be a new council that would make those decisions if the towns elected to consolidate.
   Call to the public would generally feature residents giving their opinions on consolidation, especially at the Taylor Town Council meetings, and on several occasions the meetings would go well into the night after a lengthy call to the public.
   On July 14, 2009, the Snowflake Town Council voted 6-1 to approve Resolution No. 09-516, petitioning the Navajo County Board of Supervisors to call an election on the question of consolidating the towns of Snowflake and Taylor, with Councilwoman Lorri Davis casting the lone dissenting vote.
   On Aug. 12, 2009, in a 4-2 vote, the Taylor Town Council approved sending Resolution 2009-07 to Navajo County to call an election and give citizens the right to vote on consolidation. Councilwomen Debbie Tuckfield and Jane Lee voted against the measure, and Councilman Jay Whipple was absent from the proceedings. There were approximately 250 people in attendance.
   On Oct. 14, 2009, the Navajo County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution calling for an election to consider the question of the consolidation of Snowflake and Taylor on March 9, 2010.
   By Aug. 14, 2009, recall petitions had been taken out by Gary Solomon for Mayor John Cole and by Ken Hatch for Councilman Robin Palmer. Both Solomon and Hatch stated that they did not represent a political committee. On Aug. 27, the petitions were returned to town hall by Ken Hatch and Marion Hatch. Town Attorney Sterling Solomon declared them invalid because petitions had been circulated and signed by Jane Martineau, Ken Hatch and Marion Hatch. Ken Hatch again took out a recall petition for Palmer and returned it with 92 signatures on Sept. 11. Due to the resignation of Mayor John Cole to accept a job out of town, the petition taken out by Marion Hatch was not returned. A recall election for Palmer was set for March 9, 2010.
   On Dec. 1, 2009, exactly 180 days after Councilman Jared Hatch and Vice Mayor Jordy Fuentes took their seats on the council, Marion Hatch took out a recall petition for Fuentes and Ken Hatch took out a recall petition for Jared Hatch. The recall election has been set for Aug. 24. Due to the legal process, petitions to run against these men cannot yet be taken out.
   Letters have been sent by both sides of the issue to all post office box holders in Taylor, and Snowflake residents recently received a letter from the committee in favor of consolidation. Traditionally, the percentage of registered voters who take the opportunity to vote is under 20 percent. All registered voters are encouraged to study the issues and vote on March 9.