City Council Censure, A Test for Sedona Leadership:

Community News | Opinion

Sedona City Council meeting September 10th 2025

In a significant development for Sedona's local governance, the City Council voted 5-2 to formally censure Mayor Scott Jablow on September 10, with five of those members also calling for his immediate resignation. The public vote signals a serious breakdown in trust among the city's elected leadership. Councilman Derek Pfaff, while seemingly supporting the censure, voted against the measure because he felt the decision to demand a resignation should be left to the voters, not to the council itself.

The majority vote to censure the mayor and call for his resignation demonstrates that the council believes his conduct is not only inappropriate but also a matter of public concern. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the fact that long-time colleagues, like Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella and Vice Mayor Holli Ploog, were among the five who voted against him, indicating that their attempts to address his behavior behind closed doors were unsuccessful. Their turn against him suggests they believe a resolution is beyond repair. This was not a singular incident following a heated debate over a policy issue, but rather the third time the council had admonished Mayor Jablow for his conduct. Under Sedona City Code, the first two reprimands were handled privately in executive sessions. As a result, this public vote serves as a "three strikes and you're out" scenario, a concept that as a former law enforcement official, Mayor Jablow should be familiar with.

The council's censure was based on seven specific concerns, which included breaching attorney-client confidentiality, interfering with city staff and departments, fostering a hostile work environment, acting outside the authority of his office, and violating the principles of ethical conduct for elected officials. These are serious allegations that point to a fundamental issue with how the city's leadership is functioning. This ongoing internal conflict has unfortunately distracted residents' attention from pressing city matters, such as affordable housing, managing the budget, and advancing critical projects like the Sedona Cultural Park. Rather than focusing on these vital issues, the public is now fixated on the conflict, potentially damaging the mayor's legacy. He may not be remembered for his policy initiatives, but for a public dispute that drew focus away from real city problems. The public pressure on the mayor, the council, and the city as a whole is likely to intensify. Community members are expected to continue their calls for his resignation at council meetings, public events, and on social media. This chorus of disapproval is likely to expand beyond those who initially opposed him to include those who were once indifferent, and eventually even his former supporters and donors. Given that his election wins were by relatively narrow margins and that recent voter turnout has been low, he does not have a broad public mandate to fall back on.

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