The Arizona Attorney General’s office has declined to take any action against the Fountain Hills Town Council following a complaint that the council violated the law when a vote to seat someone to a vacant council seat in September failed on a deadlock.
State Representatives Joseph Chaplik and Alexander Kolodin requested an investigation citing the council’s 3-3 vote on a motion to seat Councilwoman-elect Gayle Earle as a replacement for Councilwoman Sharron Grzybowski who resigned following the council’s Sept. 5, meeting. Chaplik and Kolodin cited a statute requiring the council to fill a vacancy should one occur. Earle was the only candidate elected outright during the July primary election.
The request for the investigation was made based on a statute known as 1487 based on its bill number in the legislature. The law, 41-194.01 (A) provides that legislators may request the Attorney General to investigate actions that might be considered violations of state law or the Constitution of Arizona.
