Quartzsite in disarray; mayor alleges corruption

QUARTZSITE, AZ - The far western Arizona town of Quartzsite was in disarray Monday after the town council ousted the mayor from power and declared a state of emergency, all over an online video that shows a woman being arrested.

Mayor Ed Foster said the town council held a last-minute meeting that was closed to the public Sunday night, declaring a state of emergency in the 3,600-person town just east of the California city of Blythe.

The council's declaration put police Chief Jeff Gilbert in charge, making Foster the "deputy chief executive of nothing right now," he said. It also allows the five-member council to meet without public notice and suspend all public comment at the meetings until they declare the state of emergency over.

However, Vice Mayor Barbara Cowell denies the city is under any type of emergency order and told ABC15 “it’s business as usual.”

Cowell did admit city council members, on advice from the city attorney, had an emergency meeting Sunday night after all six council members received threatening e-mails, even death threats, over a video posted online .

“It scares the hell out of me, I'm sorry to say,” said Cowell.

The video shows a woman identified as Jennifer Jones being arrested and hauled away from a council meeting after she said the council was violating open-meetings laws. Jones was speaking during a public comment period, and Foster is heard on the video telling other council members who ordered her removed that "the lady has the floor."

“It was emergency measures pertaining to the emails we've gotten, what we can do to protect our people,” said Cowell.

On Monday, Foster filed paperwork with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office complaining Sunday's emergency meeting violated the state’s open meetings law.

Video of that meeting was also posted online.

“The meeting was not properly announced. You have to announce the meeting 24 hours in advance. When they locked the door that became an illegal meeting,” said Foster.

Foster was elected in May 2010 on a campaign promise to investigate corruption allegations in the town.

He said since being in office, he has discovered that every pay period, eight to 10 paychecks go to unnamed people and that he has been denied access to financial records to find out where the money goes at every turn.

He said that's been happening since 1991 and amounts to $250,000 every year. "That's literally millions of dollars," he said.

Foster said he's gone to Gov. Jan Brewer's office, the Attorney General's Office and the FBI with his allegations and pleas for an investigation, and that he's been ignored.

The Governor’s office issued a statement to ABC15 saying: “Mayor Foster of Quartzsite visited with the Governor’s Office of Constituent Services about this matter. One of the roles of Constituent Services is to help guide individuals to the proper place for assistance. In this instance, based upon the mayor’s allegations, Constituent Services suggested that he address his concerns with the Attorney General’s Office and AZPOST. Constituent Services understands that this did occur and these offices will decide if and how to proceed.”

Foster also said he has been targeted repeatedly by police Chief Gilbert, arrested or investigated for "bogus" reasons that weren't prosecuted and didn't prove any wrongdoing.

In June, John Stair, Vice President of the Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, spoke in front of the council announcing a “No Confidence” vote in Gilbert.

According to the speech posted on AZCOPS’ website, Stair told the council 10 of the owns police officers signed a public statement saying they do not believe Chief Gilbert can effectively lead the Quartzsite Police Department.

Stair added that a vote of “No Confidence” in a police chief is rare Arizona.

A spokesperson for DPS also told ABC15 there is an active investigation into criminal allegations involving Chief Gilbert.

Foster himself faces a recall election in August.

One of the town council members resigned to run against him in hopes of ousting him amid all of the controversy.