OPINION — In Fountain Hills, the current call to “restore civility” sounds reasonable until you look at how the narrative is being used. What’s presented as a civility concern increasingly looks like a coordinated campaign strategy.
This election is officially nonpartisan, but voters see what’s happening. Two coordinated slates are competing for mayor and three council seats. Some candidates call themselves “independent,” yet campaign as an organized slate. Nothing says “independent” like coordinated endorsements, messaging and funding!
The Nov. 18 council meeting is central to this issue. The repeated disruptions, recesses and eventual clearing of the room to restore order explain why procedural changes were made, including moving call to public to the end of meetings — not to silence anyone, but to ensure meetings could proceed.
