$650,000 Housing Deal for Maricopa City Manager Sparks Controversy and Fallout
The City of Maricopa Approved $650,000 House for City Manager, Sparking Ethics Complaint, Community Tensions and a Subsequent Restraining Order Against the Whistleblower!
This is an update from an in-depth story that we wrote for the Arizona Sun Times. In April 2024, the City of Maricopa appointed Ben Bitter as its new city manager, offering a compensation package that sparked community debate. Bitter’s annual salary was set at $242,000—$20,000 more than his predecessor’s—and included a $400 monthly vehicle stipend and a $100 monthly cell phone allowance. Additionally, the city council approved the purchase of a house valued up to $650,000 for Bitter, to be repaid over 30 years at a 0.5% interest rate over the city’s 2.88% current investment rate, significantly below market rates. This decision, passed through a consent agenda without public input, led to concerns among residents about the use of taxpayer funds.
Bitter’s prior tenure as city manager in Ashland, Kentucky, was marked by controversy. In 2015, the Ashland City Commission voted 3-2 to terminate him, citing policy violations such as issuing a $7,000 advance vacation payment to an employee against city policy and failing to investigate over $200,000 in missing expenditures on tires. The decision was later rescinded, allowing Bitter to resign.
Maricopa City Councilmember Vincent Manfredi, who also holds a stake in the local news outlet InMaricopa, has been a vocal supporter of Bitter. Manfredi referenced a poll indicating that 81% of respondents disagreed with Bitter’s termination in Ashland. However, Manfredi’s conduct has faced scrutiny. In April 2024, resident Terry Clark filed an ethics complaint against Manfredi, accusing him of “bullying, name-calling, and calling out of people while discussing city business.” This complaint led the city council to revise its ethics code in October 2024, limiting the ability to file such complaints to city officials only.
New Updates
The ethics complaint against City Council Member Vincent Manfredi, which was resolved behind closed doors, resulted in no formal action. However, the saga has taken an unexpected turn: a restraining order has now been filed against Terry Clark, a precinct committeeman, community watchdog, and whistleblower. Due to the confidentiality of the order, the specific details behind its issuance remain unclear.
This development raises questions about transparency and the current climate in Maricopa’s city government. Nearly eight months into his tenure, how is City Manager Ben Bitter performing? Unfortunately, it’s difficult to assess, as Maricopa doesn’t receive much press coverage. Adding to the challenge, sources in the community are reportedly hesitant to speak to reporters, likely due to the restraining order obtained by a city council member against a prominent resident.
A point of concern is the primary source of local news in Maricopa: InMaricopa, which is owned by a sitting city council member. While this arrangement might not constitute a direct conflict of interest, it certainly creates an appearance of awkwardness, if not bias, in the dissemination of information about city affairs.
Further complicating the picture is the abrupt departure of former City Manager Rick Horst. After taking a demotion earlier this year to serve as Chief Strategy Officer alongside Bitter—a position he was slated to hold until January 2026—Horst announced his early retirement in October. However, a coworker hinted to InMaricopa that his departure was related to “internal adjustments,” leaving the exact reasons for his exit open to speculation.
Is the City of Maricopa Failing Local Entrepreneurs?
In November, the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce took an unusual stance by publicly rejecting a city proclamation. In a “Letter to the Editor” published in InMaricopa, the Chamber announced:
“The City of Maricopa intends to proclaim at the Nov. 19 City Council meeting that Saturday, Nov. 30, is Small Business Saturday. They have asked that the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce accept the proclamation. The Chamber of Commerce will not be present to accept that proclamation.”
This bold rejection highlights a growing rift between the Chamber and the city leadership. The Chamber stated, “The overall sentiment of small business owners is that the city is not pro small business.” They cited specific examples of what they see as the city’s failure to support businesses, including a lack of investment in the business community and policies that allegedly drive businesses out of Maricopa.
Adding fuel to the controversy is a reported comment by City Manager Ben Bitter during a meeting with the Chamber’s Executive Director. According to the Chamber, Bitter remarked, “If a business doesn’t like the way things are done in Maricopa, they can just leave.”
This statement, coupled with the Chamber’s refusal to accept the proclamation, underscores a deeper frustration among local business owners who feel alienated by the city’s approach to economic development. The rejection of the proclamation is rare and signals a significant divide between the business community and city officials, raising questions about Maricopa’s commitment to fostering a thriving local economy.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the City of Maricopa, especially since it seems the mainstream media rarely ventures into this corner of Arizona. Stay tuned as we continue to uncover the stories that matter to this community.