It was an off year for elections in Fountain Hills with only the Sanitary District Board of Directors having seats with terms expiring. This is generally not an election of great interest, being cancelled most years because it is uncontested.

However in 2019 there was a challenger for one of the three seats on the board. Bob Shelstrom, a self-described “disruptor” and “watchdog” of government stepped up in an effort to unseat one of the three incumbents who were running.

Longtime Director Bob Thomson, board Vice Chairman Jerry Butler and Director Michael Maroon were all seeking re-election in opposition to Shelstrom’s challenge.

In the end all three were re-elected. Thomson, Butler and Maroon were retained with each receiving approximately 30 percent of the votes cast compared to 12 percent for Shelstrom.

The focus of Shelstrom’s challenge was an ongoing project the Sanitary District was undertaking in Fountain Park. The district was constructing two new buildings to house control equipment for storage and recovery wells the district uses for treated wastewater.

The district had decided that underground vaults where electrical and control equipment have been located for 20 years needed to be replaced because of deterioration. The board elected to move the equipment above ground to assure employee and public safety related to the park location.

Shelstrom, however, deemed the project unnecessary and too expensive. He also questioned the bidding process and the partnership with the Town of Fountain Hills to construct the public restrooms for the park facility.

In the end, none of his arguments held sway over the majority of the voters. The first of the two new operations and restroom facilities opened for use by the public on Dec. 18. The second is to open by the end of January.

Complaint

The Sanitary District filed a criminal complaint against a Mesa waste hauling company for dumping raw waste into the sanitary sewer system in Fountain Hills.

Town Prosecutor Mark Iacovino filed the 10-count complaint in late July, just shy of the 1-year deadline for the filing.

The complaint alleged that employees of Green Arrow Environmental Services unloaded 5,000 gallons of raw industrial waste into the Fountain Hills sewer system in 2018. Such action caused cleanup and restoration damages in excess of $8,000.

The owner of Green Arrow pleaded guilty and paid fines with charges against the employees dismissed.