I thought I’ve witnessed it all in my 34 years of covering Fountain Hills politics, but last week’s Town Council meeting might have topped the list of outrageous hijinks by locally elected officials.

Town Attorney Andrew McGuire did not deserve the unprofessional and disrespectful treatment that he patiently endured last Tuesday evening.

Let’s see…he accepts a phone call and sets up a meeting to hopefully receive payment on outstanding development fees owed to the Town of Fountain Hills – and for this he gets fired?

Mayor Linda Kavanagh was not officially “informed” of this meeting, so the retribution came swiftly and mightily. Really?

No doubt council members are privy to much more information than the general public due to closed-door executive sessions – details from which must remain confidential – but this petty and amateurish approach to dismissing a valued and key town official is beyond the pale.

Mr. McGuire has come under fire before – this is part of being involved with local government – but he and his firm certainly were entitled to due process.

My dealings with Andrew over the years have always been positive and enlightening. He is very experienced in municipal affairs and town law. He always understood his client was the Town of Fountain Hills – not individual developers, not bullies, not petty citizens with axes to grind, not individual council members or mayors who have their own personal agendas.

As Councilman Henry Leger said, this marked a low point for the Town Council. It was embarrassing and a public spectacle not worthy of a body elected to represent us, the citizens.

And Councilman Art Tolis – clearly you were torn at the end, the deciding vote. It’s a tough place to be, for sure. But instead of deferring to the mayor’s “leadership,” everyone should vote his or her conscience.