“There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity!”
— Harvey “Big Daddy” Pollitt (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)
Last month, the Tempe City Council voted 5-2 to fire city manager Charles “Charlie” Meyer. Mayor Mark Mitchell told KPHO the majority of the council “had concerns over communications with Meyer.” Councilmember Shana Ellis said Meyer had allegedly “lied to her.”
Former Mayor Hugh Hallman handpicked Meyer. Only Hallman loyalists Onnie Sherkerjian and Kolby Granville sang Meyer’s praises. Meyer was city manager for over five years and during much of the former mayor’s regime.
Meyer was AWOL for the meeting even though his duties required attendance. On the Friday before, Meyer sent an email to all city employees touting Mother Teresa and acting the good guy and portraying the council as the bad guys.
Lying, suborning or tolerating a lie by an employee deserves firing.
While Meyer had his supporters, one need only look at the facts about Tempe.
According to the ‘City Comparison Guide’ at azcentral.com, Tempe has the highest crime rate, spends more on policing, has fewer swimming pools and libraries per resident, has the highest city revenues and spends the most when compared to Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and even Phoenix. Surrounding cities are doing a much better job than Tempe and they’re doing it with less. Throw in the rising utility rates and tax increases and I’d say Meyer hasn’t done Tempe well.
His questionable ability to properly run Tempe doesn’t stop there.
In a May 12, 2012, column, Laurie Roberts of the Arizona Republic examined trumped up allegations of criminal conduct by then city council member and mayoral candidate Mitchell. Roberts brought to the public’s attention and Meyer’s crossing an ethical and professional line. She wrote, “Even Tempe City Manager Charlie Meyer got into the act, asking Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos when the (police) report would be out. Meyer is tight with Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, who has endorsed (Michael) Monti, (the other mayoral candidate).”
City managers aren’t supposed to meddle in ongoing police investigations, especially those in other jurisdictions.
Hallman also oversaw the hiring of the current Tempe police chief. A single in-house candidate was interviewed for the chief’s job. The chief answers to the city manager.
It’s no secret in city government that whoever controls the police department, controls the city.
While Meyer was concerning himself with the mayor’s race and the trumped up charges against Mitchell, Tempe police were dealing with real crime problems.
Besides the extra high crime rate, nearly double the statewide average, Tempe police have been in the headlines over officers stealing evidence and city property, mishandling evidence and crime reports and in December, KPHO reported Tempe police failed to properly investigate multiple serious crimes including rape, robbery and murder. Last November KNXV reported police didn’t submit 363 sexual assault kits for examination by the crime lab that could help identify rapists. And Tempe police have yet to solve the March 2012 mass shooting of sixteen concertgoers.
Meyer and his leadership team — known by some around City Hall as “Charlie’s Angels” — have delivered a less than quality product to residents and business owners. In a few short years, Tempe has gone from the city every other city wanted to be like to the city they’re glad they aren’t.
With Meyer gone the challenge for Mitchell and the city council will be to find someone who is experienced, qualified and willing to stop Tempe’s downward spiral and bring it back to equal footing with neighboring cities.
In the end Meyer’s legacy will be one of high crime and taxes, declining city service’s and quality of life, poor performance and a mendaciously powerful odor coming from Tempe City Hall.
Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net.
UaNut posted at 10:32 am on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
I'm personally offended that you would claim the sexual assault allegations against Mayor Mark Mitchell are "trumped up". Read the Phx police report! I happen to be friends with the woman that Mayor Mitchell "allegedly" sexually assault, by both digital and penal penetration. Mayor Mitchell was NEVER cleared, and he even admitted to his involvement on tape and apologized to her for hurting her. Not moving forward on a case because of not being able to get a conviction, and being "trumped up charges" are two very different thing Mr. RICHARDSON! Mayor Mitchell will someday have to explain to his own young daughters as to why he was accused of child molestation. If you want to pursue your continued worthless attack campaign against Tempe officials, please do so, but don't you EVER discount a woman's complaints of sexual assault, you should be ASHAMED of YOURSELF!
chatmandu002 posted at 10:53 am on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Bill goes off on Tempe again.....
mikedurham posted at 11:12 am on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Bill, no love loss, eh? I've followed some of the homcide investigations and like the results. Let's use your column as a baseline and revisit the issues in a year. I would like the homicide investigators to with a cold case central registry... another issue away from the issues you have discussed. Keep watching.
PCSO101 posted at 11:37 am on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Bill Richardson may have some serious mental issues he needs to deal with. He is obviously obsessed with causing hurt and pain to anyone who has crossed him. Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe...................Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, MCSO, MCSO, MCSO, MCSO, MCSO, MCSO, MCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO, PCSO,PCSO, PCSO,PCSO.Tempe. Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe, Tempe,
Kinda sounds like a broken record.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:59 am on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Bill,
I have asked you time and time and time again to tell us how many of the 1,420 rapes that occurred in the City of Mesa during the years 2002 - 2011,
Before you go off in the Tempe Police Department, tell us, the East Valley Tribune readers, how many of these 1,420 rapes has the Mesa Police Department solved?
How many of these 1,420 rape victims saw.....Justice?
How many of these Mesa rapists went to prison?
THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT ....TEMPE.
tededitedit posted at 3:50 pm on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Wasn't the police chief closely tied to B. Arredondo and Arredondo not so close with Hallman or Meyer? Isn't your "police chiefs run cities" comment a little contrary to law enforcement's mission? All in all, Tempe is going downhill in my opinion. A city spending $155 million of U.S. taxpayer money on a 2.5 mile shuttle to Mill Avenue and ASU is pretty messed up.
Rich posted at 7:45 pm on Sat, Feb 9, 2013.
Bill,
You're columnist now, not a cop. Now "...there is no black and white, today, there is no day or night, only shades of gray."(Barry Mann and Cyntha Weil). Tempe is seriously messed up. You don't attack it one politico at a time. You attack the system that made it that way. And you never say trumped up if you haven't got back up. Mitchell got away with it, as have a lot of Tempe politicos, like Ben.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:28 am on Sun, Feb 10, 2013.
Since the author is sooo knowledgeable and can tell everyone how they do everything wrong --- why isn't he running for office?
BedRock posted at 10:54 am on Sun, Feb 10, 2013.
I worked with Bill Richardson many years ago at ''Task Force". He sported a large red Afro and coined his own name "Wild Bill". He was a coward then and still is. He made no real contributions, but was first to acknowledge "our" accomplishments as "his". He got ran out of Casa Grande PD and went to Mesa, where he was a so-so officer. I've been reading his commentaries over the years, and he seems to forget that there are still many of us o'l timers around that know he is full of BS, just as he was then. He is the first to criticize the high costs associated with our public safety retirement system, although....................he was quick to snap up a medical retirement feigning back injury from the very system which he criticizes. So Arizona Willie, may I say you are right on target. Wild Bill has not changed, will blow his own horn, criticize others, but will never step up to the plate to run for office or put himself in a position where his weaknesses and insecurities may be exploited!
Arizona Willie posted at 8:54 am on Mon, Feb 11, 2013.
BedRock, I notice that besides Richardson's picture it identifies him as a retired MASTER police officer.
Is there such a category?
Being a civilian who has never been arrested, I'm not familiar with the police ranks, but I've NEVER heard of a Master police officer before.
RetMPD posted at 7:35 am on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
Leon: After Bill Richardson answers your questions about the Mesa rape cases, maybe he will look into this case of police abuse.
Arizona Willie: Mesa PD did have a "Master Officer" program. In essence, the rank of Master Officer was left to those whom wanted to promote to Sergeant, but didn't possess the skill, mental capacity, or leadership ability to ascend to a supervisor rank, usually those with a high school diploma or GED. They got paid more money for their "skills", a way to pacify them with money so they wouldn't become a pain for management. Lately, it was created to support ego's, so retired blown out cops could have a sense of self identify.......for Example, Retired Officer Bill Richardson, MASTER POLICE OFFICER!
Arizona Willie posted at 8:28 am on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
RetMPD: thanks for the info.
I certainly do consider Richardson a Master --- but it's a two syllable word and the last syllable is often associated with fishing.
Illbyrhuckeberry posted at 10:27 am on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
It appears to me that if this guy isn’t writing about your particular itch, then he’s worthless. Do all of you have far better talents than he does? But he is writing to the public and you still sit looking at your Ipads and playing with your taliwacker. It looks like you are a tad bit of jealous. Mr. Richardson, I like what you do. I think your flashlight is lighting up areas that need to be lit up. I think most of these old retired geezers don’t have the spine to write what you write and say what you say if they could document things as well as you do. I think the public like it when you find a cesspool, you comment. I remember rants about Mesa or MCSO and agreed with what you said. Forget these girls, make them show you THEIR resumes before you listen to them. Can you tell us more about the Mitchell sex investigation and why PPD went no where with it.
CurrentDayCop posted at 8:03 pm on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
Funny how Bill thinks he knows everything.. He certainly was run out of Casa Grande and he wasn't very well liked in Mesa.. I wonder what the real reason was for his termination from the NFL..??
Rich posted at 9:40 pm on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
It's nice to assault the messenger, and you do it well, but it doesn't change facts. Tempe is the highest crime, highest tax place in Arizona. It is filled with corruption and nepotism, the Mayor is Mitchell, Arredondo and Ellis are still on the council. Tempe is one of the worst run cities in the U.S. riddled with corruption, favoritism and incompetents.
billrichardson posted at 9:46 pm on Tue, Feb 12, 2013.
I appreciate everyone taking the time to read my column and comment. For those of you who have specific questions about my past and experience please feel free to email me and I'll do my best to answer your specific questions. Thanks again for taking the time to read my column.
hillstreet posted at 10:30 am on Tue, Feb 19, 2013.
pcso 101 if i were led by a flaher and a clown id lay low.