Dozens of speakers urge action against chair; Maricopa County GOP executive committee reads no-confidence resolution

Dozens of people used the public-comment period at the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on March 18 to criticize the conduct of Board Chair Thomas Galvin and to urge board action. Multiple speakers read or referenced a resolution by the Maricopa County Republican Committee executive guidance committee (MCRC EGC) calling for a vote of no confidence in Chairman Galvin.

Speakers accused the chair of restricting public comment, ending meetings early and denying a disabled speaker an opportunity to speak at a prior meeting. Don Hyatt and other commenters described a resolution that "therefore be it resolved that the MCRC EGC has a vote of no confidence for Maricopa County board of supervisor Thomas Galvin"; the resolution was presented to the board during the public-comment period but was not a formal board action.

Several speakers also called on the board to restore a shared-services agreement with the county recorder and to return certain election-related responsibilities to the elected recorder. Speakers included veterans, precinct committee officers and other local activists. Many criticized what they described as a pattern of discouraging public input and asked supervisors to hold the chair accountable.

Board members responded at varying lengths. Some supervisors said they would work with the clerk's office to ensure public materials were available and emphasized the importance of upholding public-participation rules; others encouraged speakers to raise policy concerns with the state legislature. No formal board action to remove or censure the chair was taken during the meeting.

The board adjourned after hearing the scheduled public comments; the chairmanship remained unchanged.