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Scott: Friedel doesn’t take the advice of those he should listen to

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In the last two years, Gerry Friedel has lost his compass. He's staked a claim on being the smartest man in the room...after all, he proclaimed in a council meeting that he should be involved in things because “he’s the senior council member.”

Yet he fails to take the advice of the town attorney at nearly every turn. For example: Friedel joined in repealing the town's sign ordinance against the advice of the attorney; less than a month later, he had to vote to rescind that decision. Friedel joined in a “moratorium” resolution about 5G, against the town attorney’s advice. The moratorium is worthless; the town can’t regulate “communications” infrastructure. But it passed anyway 4-3. 

Freidel, against the advice of the town council, voted not to defend the town in a lawsuit brought by ROT on the failed referendum effort, effectively signaling that the town clerk did something incorrectly. Friedel’s vote, luckily, was not enough, as the resolution failed 4-3. The town defended itself and won in court, by the way, and the town clerk resigned to take a similar job in Texas.

So, will Friedel continue this trend as mayor? Will he continually dismiss the advice of the Town Council? Is the town attorney the next person on the list to dismiss from service?

Friedel is a follower and has proven not to be a good listener, too. Don't vote for him as mayor. Vote for Ginney Dickey. It's that important.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.