Gilbert Mayor Peterson faces nine ethics complaints alleging retaliation and improper investigation conduct

Gilbert Mayor Faces Tsunami of Ethics Complaints as Council Hears Accusations of Retaliation, Improper Removals, and One-Sided Investigation

The August 2, 2023 Gilbert Town Council meeting became a referendum on Mayor Bridget Peterson's conduct, with nine speakers in the public-comment period alleging that she has filed retaliatory ethics complaints against council critics and political opponents, ordered the forcible removal of residents from a public meeting, made materially false statements about private residents, and improperly influenced an investigation into her own misconduct. The meeting also surfaced ethics complaints against Councilmember Yung Koprowski regarding municipal conflicts of interest. No formal council action was taken on any of the allegations, but the volume and specificity of the charges painted a portrait of a governing body under severe internal stress.

Key Speeches

"Since Bridget took office there have been at least nine ethics complaints maybe 12. I'm not sure math wasn't my strong suit but what I do know is that anyone else conducted themselves in the way that the mayor has they would have been relieved that their duties and responsibilities immediately." — Daniel Strazza, Gilbert resident

"The mayor retaliated and used ethics complaint process to shut him up depriving him of his rights under the First Amendment and embarrassing our entire town along the way. I'm here tonight because I too once attempted to express my negative opinion of the mayor likewise the mayor retaliated I didn't get an Ethics complaint but she did order the SWAT team to remove myself and others from a public meeting just to shut us up." — Brandon Riff, Gilbert resident

"She allowed a council person koprowski to have multiple contracts with the town rather than be putting out for public uh evaluation these are not the actions of an ethical honorable and respectable mayor." — Amy Holman, Gilbert resident

"I have been very concerned of late and as we've heard tonight that from the general public that we are struggling and we're trying to do our best but we're at a point where contention is something that's going to destroy rather than build up this community which is the most important thing to me. I'm very concerned that I wasn't as concerned with the uh the well the number of Ethics complaints that have come in here recently I did I wasn't that concerned until the final one that was just recently submitted which charged the entire council with being in violation of our ethics on policy." — Councilmember Scott Anderson

Timeline

• Communications from Citizens period: Nine speakers called to address council; mayor did not formally respond to allegations.
• Daniel Strazza (speaker 2): Opened the ethics cascade with allegations of 9–12 ethics complaints since Peterson took office; criticized development decisions (apartments, industrial buildings, rail station) contrary to resident preferences.
• Brandon Riff (speaker 3): Alleged mayor filed ethics complaint against council member for calling her a "mean name"; stated he and others were forcibly removed from a public meeting by "SWAT team"; criticized attorney William Sims's investigation for interviewing only the mayor and costing over $13,000 in taxpayer funds; alleged mayor made false statements about him to impugn his character.
• Ryan Handelsman (speaker 4): Alleged Peterson told another council member she was surprised he could "read" a budget and questioned his ability despite his business experience; stated Peterson walked out of a meeting to get a Diet Coke while he was addressing council; claimed he was forcibly removed from the meeting for holding a sign saying "stop lying"; filed a $1 million lawsuit in response; criticized the Sims investigation for interviewing only Peterson and not victims or other witnesses.
• Terry Natty (speaker 5): Filed ethics complaints against Councilmember Yung Koprowski on June 29–30 for alleged "shady dealings," municipal contracts, and conflicts of interest; cited neighbors' perceptions of improper business dealings; referenced termination of an assistant whose spouse sold t-shirts to the town; stated she requested postponement to avoid $20,000–$40,000 in investigation fees under new ethics code language.
• Andrew Adams (speaker 6): Stated he chairs the LD14 Republican Party; defended Jim Torgeson, Bobbi Buchli, and Chuck Bongiovanni; alleged ethics complaints against them contain "untrue or completely unfounded accusations" and appear to be "an act of vengeance."
• Amy Holman (speaker 7): Alleged Peterson lied about apartment developments being in the town plan; noted zoning variances and yellow signs contradicted Peterson's claim; expressed concern about increased traffic, emergency vehicles, graffiti, and crime; criticized Peterson's filing of retaliatory ethics complaints against other council members instead of learning from criticism.
• Jennifer Watkins (speaker 8): Raised neighborhood parking and safety concerns on Garden Circle in the Gardens neighborhood; proposed three solutions: (1) re-establish adequate signage on no-parking rounded corners; (2) extend red zones on either side of stop signs; (3) consider one-sided parking if two-sided parking deemed unsafe.
• Tammy Foley (speaker 9): Also resident of Gardens neighborhood; requested tag-reader parking enforcement be added to a future agenda; alleged tag-reading tow company lacks sufficient signage per Arizona Revised Statutes; cited towing costs of $225–$550; called for red-zone expansion on outer circle and parking availability on Orchid Street to protect children crossing to bus stops.
• Councilmember Yung Koprowski response: Clarified that conflicts of interest have been "properly identified disclosed and disqualified"; committed to continue serving in public interest; expressed support for improvements to conflict-of-interest policies.
• Scott Anderson statement (Council reports section): Expressed deep concern that ethics complaints, lawsuits, and contention are harming Gilbert's political stability, deterring business development, and preventing focus on critical buildout decisions and the City of the Future initiative; noted that a recent ethics complaint charged the entire council with violation of ethics policy; warned that contention will never lead to innovative solutions.
• Mayor Peterson statement: Congratulated Gilbert Fire and Rescue on 100th anniversary; noted department was established in 1923 and transitioned to town operation in 1993; announced open house for youth advisory committee applicants on August 2 at 6 p.m.; did not address allegations made during public comment.

Opposition

Number of speakers against Mayor Peterson / Council direction: 7 of 9 speakers criticized the mayor or council decisions; 2 additional speakers (Watkins, Foley) raised unrelated neighborhood concerns.

Main concerns:

1. Mayor Peterson filed at least 9–12 ethics complaints, including at least one against a council member for calling her a "mean name," signaling weaponization of the ethics process.
2. Peterson ordered forcible removal of residents (including Brandon Riff and others) from a public meeting by "SWAT team" in retaliation for holding a sign reading "stop lying."
3. Attorney William Sims's investigation into the removal incident was one-sided, interviewing only Peterson, costing taxpayers over $13,000, and sweeping misconduct "under the rug" without interviewing victims or other witnesses.
4. Peterson made materially false public statements about private residents (specifically Brandon Riff) to impugn their professional reputation.
5. Peterson made demeaning comments to council members during meetings (e.g., expressing surprise that one could "read" a budget).
6. Peterson walked out of a council meeting during public comment to get a Diet Coke, signaling disrespect for citizens.
7. Peterson and prior council approved apartment developments, zoning changes, industrial buildings, and a rail station contrary to town character and resident preferences; apartments were falsely claimed by Peterson to be in a prior town plan when zoning variances and yellow signs proved otherwise.
8. Development approvals have increased traffic, crime, graffiti, and degraded quality of life for residents.
9. Councilmember Yung Koprowski holds multiple municipal contracts without proper public evaluation, creating conflicts of interest and potentially improper financial benefit.
10. The ethics complaint process itself has been weaponized and must be overhauled, yet Peterson filed her complaint under the old process immediately rather than waiting for new rules.

Most compelling arguments:

• Brandon Riff's assertion that the attorney William Sims investigation was fundamentally compromised by interviewing only Peterson, analogized to a police investigation into domestic assault that only interviews the suspect and agrees with his side.
• Ryan Handelsman's observation that Peterson filed the ethics complaint under the old "weapon" process immediately despite advocating for ethics reform, showing hypocrisy.
• Scott Anderson warning that political contention is deterring business investment and preventing critical buildout decisions.

Organized groups: LD14 Republican Party represented by Andrew Adams; Gardens neighborhood residents (Jennifer Watkins and Tammy Foley) coordinated around parking enforcement concerns.

Support

No speakers explicitly defended Mayor Peterson or council decisions. Councilmember Yung Koprowski offered brief clarification on her conflicts of interest disclosure but did not argue substantively in her favor. Andrew Adams defended three council members (Jim Torgeson, Buckley, Chuck Bongiovanni) against their ethics complaints, but did not defend Peterson or the mayor's development record.

Project Details

No development projects were under consideration at this meeting. The ethics complaints and governance controversies were the focus.

Vote Breakdown

Consent Calendar (Items 1–2):

• Final: 7–0, approved
• Yes: All seven council members

Public Hearing Items (28, 29, 29a, 30 — liquor licenses, code, boards/commissions, fees):

• Final: 7–0, approved
• Yes: All seven council members

2024 Council Meeting Schedule Calendar:

• Final: 7–0, approved
• Yes: All seven council members (motion by Councilmember Scott Anderson, second by Councilmember Chuck Bongiovanni)

Individual vote breakdown not recorded in transcript.

Outcome & Next Steps

Three routine administrative and calendar items passed without opposition or discussion. No formal council action was taken on any ethics complaint, removal of residents, or alleged misconduct by Mayor Peterson or Councilmember Yung Koprowski.

Councilmember Scott Anderson statement appears to have been made as a personal reflection during the Council on Current Events report, not as a formal motion or resolution. No investigation, review, or remedial action was initiated by council on the record.

Vice Mayor and staff were asked to follow up with Jennifer Watkins and Tammy Foley regarding the Gardens neighborhood parking concerns and tag-reader enforcement; no timeline or formal agenda item was established.

The 2024 council meeting schedule was approved, with student-of-the-month ceremonies to resume in-person in September at 6 p.m., with regular council meetings beginning at 6:30 p.m. Town clerk's office will manage uploading photos to town social media platforms (Facebook and previously Flickr account).

Mayor Peterson announced an open house for the mayor's youth advisory committee on August 2 at 6 p.m., with applications due August 5 at 5 p.m.

The ethics complaints against Mayor Peterson and Councilmember Yung Koprowski remain under investigation (outside the council meeting record) with no stated timeline for completion or council review.

Controversies & Context

The August 2, 2023 meeting exposed a fracture in Gilbert's governance that has been building for months. The core dispute centers on Mayor Bridget Peterson's conduct in office and her use of the ethics complaint process.

The ethics complaint cascade: Daniel Strazza alleged 9–12 ethics complaints against Peterson since she took office. Strazza did not provide dates, but Brandon Riff and Ryan Handelsman specified that Peterson filed a complaint against a council member for calling her a "mean name"—the first mayor in Gilbert's history to do so, according to Riff. Terry Natty filed complaints against Councilmember Yung Koprowski on June 29–30 for alleged conflicts of interest and "shady dealings" involving municipal contracts and business arrangements. Andrew Adams stated that ethics complaints against Jim Torgeson and Buckley contain "untrue or completely unfounded accusations" and appear retaliatory. In response, Scott Anderson stated he was "not concerned" with the number of ethics complaints until "the final one that was just recently submitted which charged the entire council with being in violation of our ethics on policy."

The Sims investigation and removal incident: Brandon Riff and Ryan Handelsman both alleged that the mayor ordered the forcible removal of residents from a public meeting for expressing negative opinions. Riff stated he was removed along with "others" after holding a sign. Handelsman stated he was forcibly removed for "sitting in the back of a room holding a sign that says stop lying" and that he requested an apology from Peterson, which was ignored. Both alleged that attorney William Sims was hired to investigate the incident and that his report was fundamentally compromised because he interviewed only the mayor and not the victims or other witnesses. Handelsman stated the investigation cost over $13,000 in taxpayer funds and that Sims "agreed with the suspect" (Peterson) without hearing the other side—a dynamic he likened to a police officer investigating domestic assault who only interviews the suspect. The transcript does not identify the specific public meeting at which the removal occurred or provide a date, but the contention suggests it was a significant incident in recent months.

Peterson's alleged public statements about private residents: Ryan Handelsman alleged that Peterson "went on record and during a council meeting and told another council member you didn't know he could read couldn't read a budget and was surprised because you thought he owned a lot of businesses." Handelsman also alleged that Peterson made "materially false statements about me a private resident in order to impugn my character and my professional reputation." Neither Handelsman nor the transcript provides the specific false statements, but the allegation is specific enough to suggest Peterson made public accusations that Handelsman disputes.

The Diet Coke incident: Handelsman alleged that Peterson "walked out of a council meeting to go grab a Diet Coke while a citizen was addressing the council during Communications from citizens," signaling disrespect for public input.

Development and town character: Amy Holman and others alleged that Peterson falsely claimed apartment developments were part of a prior town plan. Holman stated: "I went and I looked up the town plan this was untrue uh if these projects were actually in the town plan there would be no need for the yellow signs everywhere and all the zoning variances that are on them it was a flat out lie." Daniel Strazza criticized approval of "apartments and industrial buildings now on every corner" and a "rail station in Coulee that honestly I've never heard one positive comment from any Resident of Gilbert." Holman noted increased traffic, emergency vehicle activity, graffiti, and crime since the developments were approved.

Yung Koprowski conflicts of interest: Terry Natty alleged that Councilmember Yung Koprowski holds multiple contracts with the town without proper public evaluation. Natty cited rumors within the engineering community of "shady dealings" and referenced a story about an assistant who was terminated because their spouse sold t-shirts to the town at cost. Natty stated that perception may not be reality "but is often rooted in reality" and calculated that new ethics investigations could cost taxpayers $20,000–$40,000. In response, Yung Koprowski stated that conflicts have been "properly identified disclosed and disqualified" and that she remains committed to serving the public interest, not personal gain. The transcript does not identify the specific municipal contracts in question or provide details of Yung Koprowski business.

The hypocrisy charge: Ryan Handelsman noted that Peterson has publicly called for reform of the ethics complaint process to prevent "weaponization," yet filed her complaint against another council member under the old process immediately, rather than waiting a few weeks for new rules to take effect. Handelsman stated: "yet when given the choice to either wait a couple of weeks for the new ethics complaint process to take effect before filing her complaint or filing it right now under the current process as a weapon the mayor herself chose the weapon."

Political stability and economic impact: Scott Anderson introduced a new dimension to the controversy, warning that the contention is damaging the town's ability to attract business investment and focus on critical buildout decisions. Scott Anderson stated: "if you think that there isn't a line item under due diligence about political stability in the community go back and look through some of those due diligence lists it's there and when a company is looking to locate into a community a thriving Community like Gilbert that is an issue that they are concerned about." Scott Anderson also warned that "contention will never lead us to innovative solutions contention will just lead to more contention."

Mayor Peterson's response: Peterson did not directly address any of the allegations during the meeting. She offered brief remarks congratulating the fire department on its 100th anniversary and announcing the youth advisory committee open house, but did not respond to the ethics complaints, the removal incident, the false statements allegations, or any other charge. Her silence may have been tactical—Arizona's open meeting law prohibits council members from responding to matters not on the printed agenda, though Scott Anderson statement suggests that some council members felt able to comment on "current events."

Gardens neighborhood parking and tag-reader enforcement: Jennifer Watkins and Tammy Foley raised a separate but potentially important issue: the use of a tag-reading tow company for parking enforcement in the Gardens neighborhood. Foley alleged that the company, "out of Texas," lacks sufficient signage per Arizona Revised Statutes and charges $225–$550 per tow without warning or mercy. She criticized the enforcement as excessive and called for the issue to be added to a future agenda. Vice Mayor and staff were asked to follow up, but no formal agenda item or timeline was established.

Duration

• Communications from Citizens: Approximately 30–35 minutes (9 speakers × 3–4 minutes each, plus staff clarifications).
• Total meeting: Approximately 60–75 minutes (estimated, based on transcript length; exact duration not stated).

Other Notable Items

2024 Council Meeting Schedule: Council approved a calendar returning student-of-the-month ceremonies to in-person format beginning September 2023, with ceremonies at 6 p.m. and regular council meetings beginning at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Peterson and Scott Anderson both supported starting the ceremonies at 6 p.m. rather than 6:30 p.m. to keep the evening shorter and allow children to get home for homework. Photos will be uploaded to the town's Facebook page and social media platforms. (Approved 7–0.)

Fire Department Centennial: Mayor Peterson congratulated Gilbert Fire and Rescue on its 100th anniversary, noting the department was established in 1923 and transferred to town operation in 1993, with a one-year milestone on ambulance service also reached.