Gerry Friedel’s complaints about the “Agreement for Law Enforcement Services” between Fountain Hills and Maricopa County have been repeatedly called into question and he has yet to adequately explain why, if the agreement was so bad or the $70,0000 resolution of the “staffing dispute” so inadequate, he voted to approve both.
Oblivious to the facts that Fountain Hills is one of the safest communities in the state and pays less per capita for police services than surrounding communities, Friedel has announced that, if elected mayor, he will “revise” this contract.
In a recent post, evidencing extraordinary bravado and hubris, Friedel asserted that he would meet with the sheriff to discuss the agreement “as long as we serve them (sic) with a Demand Letter or a lawsuit.”
A mayor has no authority to initiate litigation or “revise” contracts but, if elected, Friedel’s reckless plan, seemingly to force a showdown, will likely be supported by Councilmembers Skillicorn, Toth and Earle.
Litigation with the county could cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Given the complexity of the accounting and the prior settlement, it is unlikely that the town will meet its burden of proving that it is owed more than the $700,000 it received.
The county has no incentive to “revise” an unexpired contract. The $6,000,000 paid by the Town is a drop in the county’s $3.1 billion general fund. To force renegotiation the town must invoke the agreement’s termination provisions. At that point, the county, embroiled in litigation, is likely to agree to early termination. The town would then have between 90 days and 12 months to pass a $10 million bond to fund and form its own police department.
Friedel’s promised showdown would be a disaster for Fountain Hills.
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