Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council Rescinds Call of Election on Referendum

The Town of Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council at its regular meeting of February 2, 2023, unanimously voted to rescind Resolution 23-1651, which was a Call of Election for a special election on a Major Amendment of the 2015 General Plan Land Use Element (Future Land-Use Map). Last month, the Town Council approved a resolution to hold a special election on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, as a result of a citizen referendum.

On August 25, 2022, the Town Planning & Zoning Commission recommended that a new Future-Land Use Map be presented to the Town Council for a vote. That vote occurred on October 6, 2022.On January 17, 2023, five months after the Planning & Zoning Commissions action, a citizen alleged one of the commissioners had a conflict of interest.

 While the Town does not believe the commissioner has a conflict, it is up to that commissioner to make that determination. If a conflict of interest is found or if the commissioner recuses, the election would be unnecessary. The Planning & Zoning Commission’s recommendation of August 25, 2022, and the Town Council action of October 6, 2022, both would be voidable, negating the need for a special election.

 “Delaying the election until this issue is resolved will save the Town $20,000 in taxpayer dollars and will give the commissioner time to determine whether there is a conflict,” said Mayor Stephanie Irwin. “There was a very tight timeline for our town clerk to prepare all of the materials needed to hold the election in May, and this action of delaying the election will provide ample time for the alleged conflict of interest to be resolved and to properly administer the election.”

CONTACT:

Tony Alba, 928-368-8686, Ext. 240