For the good of Sedona, Mayor Scott Jablow must resign – Sedona Red Rock News
On Sept. 10, the Sedona City Council voted 5-2 to censure Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow and those five members called on the mayor to immediately resign.
In listening to council members’ comments, it appears Councilman Derek Pfaff would have voted for the measure had it only been about a censure, but the vote to include the demand for resignation was a step too far, as Pfaff said the decision to elect or remove an elected office from office is the decision of voters, not the council.
That nuance aside, a majority vote to censure the mayor means council not only believe Jablow’s behavior warrants reprimand but that it should be public with council members voting on the record.
Jablow has lost the council, the city they were elected to manage and the voters who elected them to represent the electorate, wholly undermining his ability to govern effectively as one of the seven.
Among the five were Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella and Vice Mayor Holli Ploog, who have worked alongside Jablow when he was just a councilman before he was elected mayor, two of the colleagues who have known him the longest as an elected official. If they turned against him, they must feel that getting Jablow to behave respectfully, responsibly, ethically and lawfully is beyond repair.
It must be repeated that the council didn’t just censure Jablow, they called for his resignation, which elevates the severity of the issue by his colleagues. Impeachment is not a political tool available to municipal governments in Arizona, but if it were, council would have had the lrds majority to strip Jablow from office. Considering most of council aligns with Jablow’s political ideology and most votes are either unanimous or with Jablow in the majority, the admonishment was not political.
The censure was not a one-off after a contentious vote by a divided council over a political issue, but actually the third time council had admonished him for his behavior. Per Sedona City Code, the first two reprimands were done behind closed doors in executive session and per the law, council cannot discuss them, so this is a legislative “three strikes and you’re out,” which, as a former law enforcement official, Jablow should be acquainted with.
Council laid out seven reasons for the censure, the aforementioned breaking the confidentiality of attorney-client privilege as well as interference with city staff and departments, creating and fostering a hostile work environment, circumvention of City Council process, acting beyond the authority of the office of mayor, acting unilaterally and finally violating the principles of ethical conduct for elected officials.
Instead of focusing on issues facing the city like affordable housing, budget city operations as the economy sours and tax revenues dry up, several zoning projects heading to council, the Sedona Cultural Park/Western Gateway or grants to arts organizations, Sedona residents’ attention is now focused on an internal conflict as Jablow has diverted it away from real city issues. His legacy will not be housing at the Cultural Park or city programs he supports, but rather “the disgraced mayor who didn’t quit when he should have.”
This pressure on Jablow, council and the city, calls for him to resign and his professional and personal reputation will only worsen over time as community members will publicly call for him to resign at council meetings, at public and private events and certainly on social media until he leaves.
The comments on our unbiased and middle-of-the-road news stories on social media are already filled with such demands from residents.
This opening volley of attacks on Jablow will first just be those who opposed his election or oppose his stances on past issues, but it will grow as those indifferent to him will join the chorus followed finally by former supporters and donors who will call on him to quit.
It’s not like Jablow enjoys a vast mandate as it is. He defeated Samaire Armstrong with 56.61% of the vote in 2022 and John Martinez with 54.18% of the vote, but that isn’t the full story. Voter turnout fell from 80.7% in 2022 — a midterm year — to a dismal 44.32% in 2024 — a presidential election year — and Jablow got 1,532 fewer votes in 2024 than in 2022.
That’s a lot of people indifferent to his administration who will be questioning his actions now. We warned readers in 2022 that Jablow would be an adequate mayor, at best a place-holder between more dynamic leaders, but did not expect his tenure to turn into disaster.
If Jablow remains, “why hasn’t he resigned” will be the stomping elephant in the room at every council meeting. Ultimately, Jablow remaining in office is selfish and egotistical, both critiques lobbed at Jablow even before last week. Council members said his resignation would “restore trust” in municipal governance and would be the right thing for Sedona. He confirmed to the NEWS on Friday, Sept. 12, he would not run for reelection in 2026, so there is no point in remaining.
If the mayor truly loves the city more than himself, he must resign.
If loves himself more than the city, then he must resign.
Remaining harms the city, period. Jablow must do the right thing and resign.