The Call to the Public at meetings of public bodies in Arizona is enshrined in the Arizona Revised Statutes, which state in ARS Sec. 38-431.01(G): “A public body may make an open call to the public during a public meeting, subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions, to allow individuals to address the public body on any issue within the jurisdiction of the public body.” It is the place on the agenda where citizens with concerns, criticisms, praise or opinions have a chance to be heard.
The October 18 Call to the Public at the Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting was a long one, with some 30 speakers using all of their allotted three minutes. The agenda item came after a series of proclamations and presentations honoring county residents for saving lives, for providing rescue cats to seniors, and designating various days for special events. While most were events coming up, National Latino Aids Awareness Day was proclaimed retroactively, having taken place the previous Saturday. All provided photo ops for various supervisors who sometimes jostled for position.
Coming to the microphone, although the live transmission system was not working and people not present couldn’t hear them, were people from all walks of life coming to complain about taxes, about poor roads in their neighborhood, and about election issues, or to praise the Multi-Species Conservation Plan’s protections for the Santa Cruz River in the Altar Valley. The supervisors listened in silence.
Legislative District 3 House Green Party candidate Edward Cizek and supporters were there to raise issues about secret deals being made to give Monsanto “incentives” for locating in Pima County. Monsanto just bought 155 acres in the Avra Valley from Marana Town Councilmember Herb Kai for a giant greenhouse to develop genetically-modified (GMO) seeds.
Cizek, a graduate student and a former Bernie Sanders supporter, told the supervisors that “:priorities need to change…funds for Caterpillar and World View are better spent on fixing roads…and to pay teachers and refinance student debt.” The first-time candidate told the board to “stop approving corporate welfare packages negotiated behind closed doors.” Cizek faces two Democrats and no Republicans in the election.
Cizek supporter Martha Dominguez said that the way Monsanto is being handled in Pima County “doesn’t sound like democratic government.” Others spoke of farmer suicides after being sued out of business by the genetically-modified seed manufacturer when their patented seeds blew onto adjacent farms and took root. One speaker noted that Monsanto is receiving $66 billion in a takeover by Bayer, noting that “it only took Bayer 50 years to apologize for using Jews as slave labor during the Nazi years…my new neighbors; thanks a lot.”
Pima County Sheriff ended the long list of public speakers by attacking Pima County Deputy Sheriffs Association leader Kevin Kubitsky who had told the board that 80 percent of deputies had voted non-support of Nanos’s leadership. Finally, just before noon, the Call to the Public was over. Two gentlemen in suits and ties sitting next to this reporter stopped their fidgeting. They were there for the Vector Space Systems agenda item and obviously hadn’t planned to spend several hours listing to the, public, especially those talking about crony capitalism and corporate welfare. One had a bad case of restless legs syndrome.
BOS Chair Sharon Bronson officially closed the Call to the Public and took an agenda item out of order, the late addition of approval for negotiations with rocket manufacturer Vector Space Systems (see “CAID Set To Win Big With Vector Approval By Pima County Supervisors” ADI, October 18, 2016) “for a concept where the County will enter into a 15- to 25-year lease with either Vector Space Systems, Inc. or a developer who will construct and lease the facility to Vector.”
Despite the lack of detail of what such a “concept” might be or who a lease might actually be with, the Supervisors voted unanimously to go forward, with Ally Miller insisting – over Ray Carroll’s objection – that board members have at least a week to review documents before they come to the BOS for final approval. Bronson told her colleagues, “The sky’s the limit…we own the stratosphere!”
Before breaking for Executive Session, the BOS recessed. The Vector people brushed off a comment from this reporter as Bronson rushed down to them saying, “I’m sorry that it took so long.” Apologies to the big boys, no comment for the concerns of the people. No wonder voters are angry.