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[Special City Council on September 10, 2025.]
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ROLL CALL? MAYOR BLO.
ITEM THREE, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UPON PUBLIC MAJORITY VOTE OF THE MEMBERS CONSTITUTING A QUORUM, THE COUNCIL MAY HOLD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES, A DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ADVICE AND TO DISCUSS OR CONSIDER THE DISCIPLINE OF A PUBLIC OFFICER.
THIS MATTER IS BROUGHT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO A RS 38 DASH 4 3 1 0.03.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? ACTUALLY, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE TWO MOTIONS IF I MAY.
UH, FIRST MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS IT PURSUANT TO SEDONA CITY CODE SECTION 2.000.
I MOVE TO SUSPEND FOR THE DURATION OF THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION, CITY CODE SECTION 2.0, 0.040 POINT A AND THE CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE RULE THREE POINT B 0.1 AND DESIGNATE THE VICE MAYOR TO CHAIR AND PRESIDE OVER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, NOW I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AS PER, UM, THE DESCRIPTION THAT YOU READ.
CAN I HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT SECOND, MELISSA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED OR UNANIMOUS? YOU THERE SOMETHING TO SAY? KURT? UH, THE VICE MAYOR WILL CHAIR THIS MEETING FROM NOW ON.
UH, WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION VICE MAYOR, WE MIGHT WAIT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR KINSELLA.
RULES OF PROCEDURE RULE TWO L AND RULE THREE POINT A.
THAT IT IS THE OPINION OF COUNCIL, THAT WHEREAS MAYOR JALO HAS ENGAGED IN CONDUCT THAT VIOLATES THE SEDONA CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE AND HAS LOST THE CONFIDENCE OF THE COUNCIL STAFF AND THE PUBLIC.
AND WHEREAS THESE ACTIONS INCLUDE, BUT MAY NOT BE LIMITED TO ONE, INTERFERENCE WITH CITY STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS.
TWO, CREATING, FOSTERING A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
THREE, BREAKING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
CIRCUMVENTION OF CITY COUNCIL PROCESS.
ACTING BEYOND THE AUTHORITY OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR SIX, ACTING UNILATERALLY.
VIOLATING PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WHEREAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE L OF THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE, MAYOR JALO WAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED TWO PRIVATE REPRIMANDS FOR CONTINUED VIOLATIONS OF THE SAME NATURE.
AND WHEREAS UPON FURTHER CONTINUATION OF THE CONDUCT, THE MATTER WAS REFERRED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND MAYOR JALO WAS PROVIDED NOTICE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
AND WHERE MAYOR JALOS REPEATED VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE UNDERMINE THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS EXPECTED OF A MAYOR, COUNSELOR, AND DISRUPTS THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND WHEREAS COUNCIL WISHES TO UPHOLD THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND INTEGRITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO ENSURE ADHERENCE TO THE COUNCIL MANAGER STRUCTURE OF THE SEDONA CITY GOVERNMENT.
THEREFORE BE IT THAT THE COUN CITY COUNCIL, CENSURES MAYOR JALO FOR HIS ACTIONS, UNDERMINING THE COUNCIL AND STAFF AND FOR LOSING THE FAITH AND GOODWILL OF THE COUNCIL STAFF AND THE PUBLIC.
AND BE IT FURTHER THAT THE COUNCIL REQUESTS THAT FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, THE MAYOR RESIGN HIS OFFICE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
UM, I SUPPORT THE MOTIONS AS STATED, NO CHANGES REQUIRED.
UM, I GRIEVE DEEPLY THAT WE ARE AT THIS STAGE RIGHT NOW.
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THE, THE FINDINGS, THE, THE, THE DOCUMENTATION WE'VE REVIEWED IS COMPELLING.UM, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I ASK SINCERELY, PLEASE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, PLEASE DO IN FACT RESIGN FROM OFFICE.
I WILL BE VOTING YES ON THE MOTIONS.
I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS TO MAKE EXCEPT THAT I TOO WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
DEREK, I DON'T THINK IT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHER THE MAYOR FINISHES HIS TERM.
UH, IF THE VOTERS ARE DISPLEASED WITH HIS PERFORMANCE, THEY CAN RECALL HIM OR THEY COULD CHOOSE NOT TO REELECT HIM.
IF HE WERE TO RUN NEXT YEAR, I'LL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
RULES AND PROCEDURES ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A WELL-FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT.
THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS EASY OR ENJOYABLE TO FOLLOW.
AND AT TIMES THEY CAN MAKE PROGRESS FEEL DIFFICULT AND SLOW.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE A DESIGN FEATURE, NOT A FLAW.
IT IS AN ESSENTIAL DUTY OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND RULES AND PROCEDURES AND TO FOLLOW THEM.
AND THE PUBLIC IS RIGHT TO EXPECT ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT IS NOT ONLY ACCEPTABLE, BUT APPROPRIATE FOR RESIDENTS TO HOLD THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO AN EVEN HIGHER STANDARD.
AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO SO.
NORMS TWO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE.
NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE WRITTEN DOWN AND NOT EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE CAN BE ANTICIPATED.
NORMS OF BEHAVIOR AND PROCESSES ARE SOMETIMES JUST AS IMPORTANT OR IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE RULES AND PROCEDURES THEMSELVES.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN RECENT YEARS, REALLY SINCE HIS ELECTION, OUR MAYOR HAS REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED CONFUSION ABOUT HIS PROPER ROLE.
HE HAS BROUGHT WITH HIM AN OLD SCHOOL EAST COAST, BIG CITY, STRONG MAYOR, UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNMENT WHEN HE MOVED TO SEDONA.
AND THAT IS NOT HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS.
HERE HE HAS RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM MANY PEOPLE AND HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED REPEATEDLY ON OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES.
HIS COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE DOCUMENTED MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING CITY CODE 2 10 40 D RULES AND PROCEDURES, TWO B, TWO C AND TWO G.
HE HAS EVEN RECEIVED TWO OFFICIAL PRIVATE REPRIMANDS, AND YET HIS BEHAVIOR HAS NOT CHANGED.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IN THIS PUBLIC SESSION FOLLOWING OUR RULES TO FORMALLY ISSUE THE CRE AND TO CALL FOR HIS RESIGNATION.
THIS IS THE EXTENT OF OUR AUTHORITY AS A COUNCIL.
AND IF THE PUBLIC AGREES WITH OUR ACTIONS AND WANTS FURTHER STEPS TAKEN, THAT POWER RESTS WITH YOU.
THE POWER OF RECALL IS IN YOUR HANDS.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL REMAIN VIGILANT IN ENFORCING OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES.
I HOPE WE WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN, BUT IF NECESSARY, WE WILL MAYOR, EVEN IF YOUR INTENTIONS WERE ABSOLUTELY PURE AND WELL-MEANING AT TIMES, AND SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE BEEN, YOUR APPROACH HAS BEEN INCORRECT, INAPPROPRIATE, AND CONTRARY TO OUR RULES.
AND I FEAR YOU MAY HAVE UNINTENTIONALLY HARMED THE VERY CAUSES YOU WERE TRYING TO ADVANCE TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS COUNCIL REMAINS FULLY COMMITTED TO MAKING SEDONA A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND TO LIVE.
THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, IT WILL GET BETTER.
AND FINALLY, TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT IS AND ITS PEOPLE IS HARD TO BUILD, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY EASY TO LOSE.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT OUR ACTIONS HERE TODAY ARE NOTICED AND APPRECIATED, NOT ONLY BY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO BY STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS.
I ENCOURAGE LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL TO ACT WITHIN THEIR RULES AND AUTHORITIES TO REIGN IN POWER HUNGRY OFFICIALS AND RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST.
THIS WAS NOT AN EASY MOTION FOR ME TO WRITE.
UM, I HAVE A HEAVY HEART WITH IT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO RESTORE THE FAITH OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT THIS IS ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL MUST TAKE IN PUBLIC CENSURE.
AND AS PART OF THAT SER CENSURE REQUESTING THAT THE MAYOR RESIGN HIS OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A START TO RESTORE THE PUBLIC FAITH IN THE FACT THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL NOT SWEEP THINGS UNDER THE RUG, THIS COUNCIL WILL NOT TURN BLIND EYE.
THIS COUNCIL WILL ACT IN GOOD FAITH TO SUPPORT PUBLIC GOOD AND TRANSPARENCY.
UM, AGAIN, AS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT I PUT THIS MOTION FORWARD AND AND SUPPORT IT IN, ITS THE WAY THAT I READ IT.
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UH, OBVIOUSLY I OWE OUR COMMUNITY A, UH, BIG APOLOGY, UH, OVERSTEPPING IN, UH, DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, I SHOULD SAY.UH, I DO APOLOGIZE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I APOLOGIZE TO MOSTLY THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, I APOLOGIZE TO OUR COUNCIL, BUT I WILL LEAVE IT TO THE VOTERS.
UH, I FEEL THAT, UH, IT'S THE VOTERS WHO PUT ME IN PLACE.
IF A RECALL, UH, TAKES PLACE, I WILL FOLLOW THAT AND SEE WHERE WE GO.
BUT I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS CITY FOR 11 YEARS, ALMOST 12 YEARS.
AND, UH, I FEEL I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF VERY GOOD THINGS.
SO, UH, I WILL NOT BE, UH, RESIGNING MY POSITION.
AND KURT, DO I ABSTAIN FROM THIS? UH, VOTE.
UH, MR. MAYOR, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE.
IT'S NOT A TECHNICAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS YOU HAVE NO, UH, PECUNIARY PROPRIETARY INTEREST IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS CENTURY.
BUT YOU'RE FREE TO ABSTAIN IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
WILL YOU BE ABSTAINING? I WILL BE VOTING NOW ON IT.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? I'M HEARTBROKEN, BUT I SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK.