CAREFREE
– The long‑standing political rift between Carefree Mayor
Ed Morgan and Councilman Bob Coady surfaced publicly at the
Aug. 1 town council meeting.
Morgan
expressed his outrage that someone gave The Sonoran News a copy
of a letter he had written to Carefree philanthropists Howard
and Helen Katz, whom Morgan called
personal
friends. In the letter, typewritten on town stationery, the
mayor commended the Katzes for donating $3.1 million to the
Phoenix Art Museum.
In
addition, Morgan mentioned in the June 28 letter the proposed
$100 million Easy Street
project,
to consist of 90 luxury condominiums on top of restaurants,
retail and entertainment establishments. He noted that Ed Lewis,
developer of the project, and Denny Lyon, board member of the
Phoenix Art Museum, are “exploring the possibility of having
a branch of the museum in Carefree.”
In
an editorial, The Sonoran News stated that Morgan’s mention
of the Easy Street project “was proof of his long steps over
the line” and called it “outrageous pimping” for a development
that has not been approved.
A
visibly angry Morgan said it was “unconscionable” that a town
official shared his letter with “a newspaper that has very little
to say about the wonderful things the council does for the citizens
of Carefree” and alleged the letter had to be given to the paper
by a town council member.
Staring
directly at Councilman Bob Coady, Morgan asked if anyone on
the council would like to explain. No one responded.
Coady
was contacted by The Desert Advocate on Aug. 4 and asked
if he had shared Morgan’s letter with the newspaper.
“Absolutely
not,” Coady said. “Furthermore, that letter is public information,
so if the mayor has an issue with it, he ought to have the state
change the law.”
Coady
said Morgan’s implied accusation was “repulsive” and that the
mayor should have asked him directly or he should have named
who he suspected of making the letter public.
Coady
has garnered a reputation for oftentimes being at odds with
his fellow council members on issues that come before council.
In
addition, Coady disseminates by e‑mail after every town
meeting his version of what transpired
during the meeting.
Reach
the reporter at barry@thedesertadvocate.com.
