Fountain Hills council adopts revised rules, eliminates local ethics complaint procedure and lifts sanctions on councilmember

Fountain Hills — The Fountain Hills Town Council on April 14 adopted an amended set of council rules that removes the town’s local ethics complaint procedure and later voted to lift sanctions previously imposed on Councilmember Alan Skillekorn.

The council approved a redlined updates package to the rules of procedure that, among other edits, eliminates Section 10 — the town’s enforcement and complaint process for alleged violations of the code of ethics. The amendment prompted extensive public comment, with dozens of residents urging the council to retain an enforcement mechanism and saying removal would take away citizens’ primary means to seek redress.

During public comment dozens of residents spoke for and against the change. Opponents argued the revision would shield council members from accountability and identified specific past incidents they said required review. Supporters said the existing ethics process had been weaponized, produced expensive outside legal fees and sometimes returned unfounded findings.

Why it matters: The town’s adoption of the revised rules removes the local administrative procedure by which residents could file and pursue ethics complaints against council members. Council members and multiple public speakers warned that removing the complaint procedure does not prevent citizens from pursuing other avenues — such as recall elections, the state ombudsman, or ordinary litigation — but several residents said those alternatives are less accessible than the local process.

Council action and votes - Resolution adopting redlined updates to the town’s rules of procedure, including elimination of Section 10 (ethics complaint procedure): adopted (roll-call recorded votes in meeting transcript; vote recorded in session). Council recorded individual votes during roll call; recorded positions included: Councilmember McMahon — Nay; several other councilmembers — Aye. (Council approved the resolution following roll-call.) - Separate vote to remove previously imposed sanctions on Councilmember Alan Skillekorn: council voted to lift the sanctions (motion carried; Skillekorn recused himself from that vote). The motion to lift sanctions passed with a majority of council votes after public testimony and council debate.

Public concerns and council debate Residents described the ethics rule as a primary local accountability mechanism. Diane Price, Pam Kapp, Beth Culp and others urged that removing the complaint process would let current and future misconduct go unchecked. “Why would community leaders not want to be held accountable to the people they represent?” Diane Price asked during public comment.

Speakers in favor of repeal argued the ethics process had been unevenly applied and sometimes produced costly outside-lawyer involvement for complaints that later were found unfounded. One speaker urged the council to “get rid of the ethics code and the noise” and allow voters to decide at the ballot box.

Procedural matters and town attorney absence Several councilmembers said they were uncomfortable making changes while the town attorney was not present to advise on pending conflicts or claims. Vice Mayor Toth and other members said legal follow-up would be handled by staff and outside counsel where needed, and some councilmembers specifically noted that existing pending complaint work had been paused or administratively stopped during earlier discussions.

Sanctions removal After extended public input and internal debate, the council voted to remove sanctions previously imposed on Councilmember Alan Skillekorn. The meeting record shows a roll-call vote in which Skillekorn recused himself; the motion passed by a majority of council members who cast votes.

What the changes do and do not do - The adopted rule revisions remove the local complaint-handling procedure in Section 10 of the rules of procedure; the town retains other avenues of oversight (recall, state ombudsman, civil litigation) but citizens lose the local administrative complaint track removed by the vote. - Councilmembers indicated the town will still be able to use outside counsel and other processes as needed. The town manager and town attorney (when available) were asked to report back on implementation questions and any required ordinance updates.

Ending The votes mark a substantive procedural shift in how Fountain Hills handles allegations of council misconduct. Many residents said they will pursue additional civic avenues if they disagree with the change, and several council members signaled intent to revisit specific language and posting procedures in future meetings.