BY LINDA BENTLEY | DECEMBER 17, 2014
Four candidates step up to challenge slate in upcoming recall election
LaMar said he plans to ‘fight for the future we envisioned when we incorporated in 1986’
Assistant Planner Marie Carsia, filling in for Town Clerk Carrie Dyrek, is shown assisting Dick Esser (l) and Steve LaMar with candidate packets to run in the recall election. Photo by Linda Bentley
CAVE CREEK – Since Susan Clancy picked up her candidate packet last week to run against Vice Mayor Adam Trenk in the March 10 recall election, three candidates were at town hall Monday morning to obtain candidate packets.
Clancy, who chaired Cave Creek Caring Citizens, the political action committee that successfully gathered more than enough valid signatures to recall Vice Mayor Adam Trenk and his fellow slate councilmen Mike Durkin, Reg Monachino and Charles Spitzer, was sued by Trenk to have her thrown off the ballot for reelection to the Cave Creek Unified School District governing board for being two valid signatures short.
Mark Lipsky is collecting signatures to run against Mike Durkin, Dick Esser is challenging Councilman Reg Monachino and Steve LaMar plans to run against Councilman Charles Spitzer.
Lipsky, who regularly attends council meetings, spoke during Call to the Public back in July to question the use of the town’s Cave Creek Coyote newsletter as a political platform for Trenk, calling it an “immoral and possibly illegal act.”
Lipsky said he was curious what council and the town attorney had to say about using public resources for that purpose.
It turned out council was in an executive session immediately prior to that public meeting to consult with the town attorney for legal advice regarding the use of public resources.
It was later learned the newsletter received no oversight whatsoever by anyone at town hall and council members were free to use it as a platform to say whatever they wanted.
The town has since changed its policy as to what may be included in the newsletter.
Lipsky followed Monachino, who also spoke during that Call to the Public to congratulate council for approving water and wastewater master plans that were approved by the county.
Lipsky said he found it a bit odd for council to be congratulating itself.
As Esser left town hall on Monday he said the number one reason he decided to run is because the slate and their supporters sued to have him removed from the ballot, after he rescinded his withdrawal from the ballot less than 24 hours after submitting it during the last election, and which the town and Maricopa County Elections okayed.
LaMar said he cares deeply for the future of the town and has “a lot of sweat equity in it to date.”
Unhappy with the direction the town has taken since the four slate candidates were elected, LaMar said he plans to “fight for the future we envisioned when we incorporated in 1986.”
