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Council ratifies sending wireless review back to Planning & Zoning and releases consultant report despite legal objections, 5-2
Summary
After objections and public comments alleging open-meeting concerns and an ongoing Attorney General inquiry, the Fountain Hills Town Council voted 5–2 to ratify a Jan. 21 action to send wireless ordinance review back to Planning & Zoning, designate a council point of contact, and release a consultant report to the public.
The Fountain Hills Town Council voted 5–2 to ratify an earlier Jan. 21 council action to return review of wireless-communications regulations to the Planning & Zoning Commission, to designate Councilmember Watts as the council’s point of contact for the project, and to publicly release the Campanelli wireless-consultant report.
Town Attorney Jen Wright summarized the staff report and noted an earlier notice from the Arizona Attorney General’s office that a complaint had been filed about whether a January vote on related matters had been properly noticed. Councilmember McMahon objected at length, arguing the statutory 30-day ratification window had elapsed, that notice of a pending AG investigation meant ratification was premature, and moved to remove the item from the agenda. “This agenda item seeks to have council ratify a prior decision made by the majority of council on January regarding waiver of attorney-client privileged information and documentation, a matter that was not properly placed on the agenda,” McMahon said.
Public commenters, including Beth Culp, said they had filed open-meeting complaints and that the statutory savings provision allowing ratification requires timeliness. Supporters of transparency and publication argued Fountain Hills residents had paid for the draft report and deserved to see it.
The council briefly voted to convene an executive session to consult with legal counsel. On return, Councilmember Earl moved to ratify the Jan. 21 action and to release the Campanelli report for P&Z and public review; the motion was seconded and the roll call was 5–2 in favor (Councilmember McMahon and Councilmember Calavianakis voted no). Vice Mayor Skillicorn explained his “aye” by saying residents “paid thousands and thousands of dollars to see this draft letter… They should see it.”
Why it matters: The vote resolves, for now, whether the consultant’s work will be available to Planning & Zoning and the public, but it also does not end legal scrutiny: speakers and council members cited pending AG inquiries and the possibility of new complaint filings.
What’s next: The matter will move to Planning & Zoning for further review. The town attorney and staff will continue to respond to requests from the Attorney General’s office as the investigation proceeds.
