Vice mayor shows a lot of potential

By Aimee Staten
Managing Editor
Published on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:04 AM MST

I had an interesting and encouraging conversation with the new vice mayor of Safford last week.

It was interesting because (to the best of my recollection) this was the first time a local elected official had voluntarily entered the newspaper offices and admitted he was wrong.

Vice Mayor Jason Kouts was the subject of two articles in the July 9 issue of the Courier. The first article was about the illegal fireworks being set off on his property July 4. The second dealt with questions he had asked about the amount of part-time workers needed to staff the Boys and Girls Club.

By their very nature, neither of the articles showed Kouts in the most favorable light, but instead of busting into the office with threats, denials and demands to fix the problem, he did the opposite. He calmly admitted that he was a new councilman and hadn’t known the extent the Boys and Girls Club served the community.

Before Kouts came to the Courier, he said he sat down with Boys and Girls Club Director Laurie Armstrong and attempted to learn more about it.

“I was wrong,” Kouts said. “I hadn’t done my due diligence.”

After his meeting with Armstrong, Kouts walked away with a determination to help serve the club — and by extension, community youth — more than he had before.

“She (Armstrong) needs some serious help,” Kouts said. “Her facility is not capable of handling her needs.”

He went on to say that unless people were involved with the club or talked to the director, they couldn’t understand the extent of the use or its needs.

Kouts wouldn’t elaborate on the fireworks issue, except to say when people asked him about it, he would say, “I’m sorry; I apologize.”

He did, however, make it clear that he felt he was responsible for upholding the laws.

“I am not above the law,” he said.

As a brand-new elected official, it remains to be seen what Kouts will accomplish in his service to the community, but we are greatly encouraged with the way he has handled himself so far.

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Comments

9 comment(s)

resident of safford wrote on Jul 26, 2008 7:34 PM:

" Jason Knew the laws in regards to fireworks, he is on the safford Fire Dept. There is no exQuse for his actions and he should have been ticketed, just as any other citizen, he knows darn good and well he broke the law and thats why he has no comment, but he claims not to be above the law, sounds like business as usual, for the good o'le boys of the city counsel. "

American Patriot wrote on Jul 24, 2008 10:02 PM:

" Scary how Aunt B stabs Kouts in the back in one blog and then, when she sees him, smiles and shakes his hand in this one…..

And Aunt B is preaching about morals!!!!!!? "

Maria wrote on Jul 19, 2008 9:49 AM:

" No, will not honor the law. Used position to not be sited for shooting off fireworks. "

Voter wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:05 PM:

" I am gald to see the artical on Jason Kouts. I hope he continues to live up to the honestness he has shown in this artical. The only advise I could give him is to be independent and open minded in his decisions he makes while seving on the counsel. He needs to continue to distance himself from Ron, Ken, and Jerry and make descisions on his own without letting them make up his mind for him. Props to Jason. "

resident wrote on Jul 17, 2008 3:03 PM:

" hooray! maybe a true leader is emerging in safford. "

John wrote on Jul 17, 2008 10:05 AM:

" John ( chief of police)ticket him. Since no ticket was given, every night in the 1 hunder block of 11th street fireworks are set off. No tickest are given out for the boom boxes and I have to listen to the in the low imcome apts all hours of the day. So now I can speed and say if caught I am a tax payer, leave me alone. I voted. "

Aunt B wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:20 PM:

" Bravo, Jason Kouts!! It is refreshing to see a person who has made mistakes right his wrongs and admit to them. Good for you! I hope over the next two years you can instill this sense of morality into your Mayor. I am encouraged and excited to watch. "

pima wrote on Jul 16, 2008 9:51 AM:

" I would like to see the Courier do an article using Heavy Owens memories of the Boys and Girls club. Mr. Talley and Mr. Cotter can also give imputs since they were the ones that seem to have made it all happen in the first place and good job by all on this.
Safford really needs to come together as a community for all citizens sake. Maybe this can be the catalyst to broker change. Much needed change.
The Boys and Girls club need the citizens help now. Citizen help is much better than government help. "

pima wrote on Jul 16, 2008 9:41 AM:

" Very enlightning to see a citizen run for office and make possible(depends on your feelings at the time) mistakes just like we all make, and then try above and beyond to make it right.
The Boys and Girls Club does make a difference. Sometimes it takes longer on some kids (ie. the bad mouths) but they are still our future. They do deserve our support. Public questioning of the system is not always a bad thing. Think of the Publicity they have recieved in the last 2 weeks alone. Come on everyone get out those check books now! "

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