Potential sanctions against Town Councilman Allen Skillicorn for ethics violations are on the Fountain Hills Town Council agenda for Tuesday, March 19.
Since December multiple ethics complaints …
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Potential sanctions against Town Councilman Allen Skillicorn for ethics violations are on the Fountain Hills Town Council agenda for Tuesday, March 19.
Since December multiple ethics complaints against Skillicorn have been filed with town officials. The town retained an outside attorney, Tina Vannucci of Fitzgibbons Law Offices, PLC to investigate the complaints and report on her findings.
Vannucci found that in two instances Skillicorn had violated the ethics policy outlined in the Council Rules of Procedure. Those cases involved an interaction between Skillicorn and a town code enforcement officer in September 2023. The second case involved discussion at a council meeting in January in which Skillicorn implied that other council members had inappropriate contact or discussions with a developer related to a zoning case.
A third complaint involved Skillicorn’s use of social media and blocking members of the public from his accounts. Vannucci found he had not violated the Code of Ethics in this instance.
The council is scheduled to discuss the ethics decision in closed executive session prior to the regular meeting. A decision during an open public meeting could include taking no action, censure or other potential sanctions. Suspension from a single future meeting is also an option.
The council is also scheduled to revisit a request from the operator of the local medical marijuana dispensary to allow for expanded operating hours as well as allow the delivery of products. No other changes to the existing rules and regulations for medial marijuana dispensaries in Fountain Hills are requested.
Attorneys with Gammage and Burnham, PLC represent the dispensary and cite regulations in neighboring communities as hindering operations of the local business. They are asking that business hours be expanded to between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., an additional four hours over the existing.
It is also noted by the attorney that delivery is common in surrounding communities and there is nothing to prevent Fountain Hills residents from taking deliveries from a dispensary in another community. Allowing delivery in Fountain Hills would enhance revenue for the town, according to dispensary officials.
This discussion was postponed from an earlier date to provide an opportunity for representatives of the Fountain Hills Coalition to present their concerns to the dispensary operators.
The council will hold a hearing and consider changes to the zoning ordinance related to regulations for home occupations. Development Services Director John Wesley said changes in recent years to working models have resulted in more people working out of their residence. The proposed zoning changes update rules to be more consistent with business evolution.
The council agenda includes three items related to Fire Department operations. A request for a lease agreement with American Medical Response (AMR) to house ambulance transport teams at Fountain Hills fire stations was continued from last meeting after Vice Mayor Brenda Kalivianakis asked for a re-evaluation of the proposed rate to be paid. She requested the town use an escalator consistent with the Consumer Price Index. AMR was unreceptive to such a change, according to Fountain Hills Fire Chief Dave Ott. He recommends the originally agreed on increase of 3%.
Other Fire Department items include formal approval of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Scottsdale for mutual aid assistance related to fire or emergency medical incidents. Also, there is an IGA with the City of Glendale for use of the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center. This could include live fire training, HAZMAT and technical rescue training and regional fire academy training. Costs may depend on classes offered and materials needed, according to Ott.
The council will recognize the Fountain Hills School District Stellar Students for the month of March. Mayor Ginny Dickey will present a proclamation declaring Sunday, March 31, at the 50th anniversary for the Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church.
The Town Council will meet on Tuesday, March 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Town Hall. The meeting is open to the public, available live on COX Channel 11 and live streamed on YouTube.
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