By Mark Cowling | Pinal Central
Town officials knew a historic downtown Florence store’s electrical system was safe but ordered it closed anyway, the owner’s attorney claims.
The town had a letter from the electric utility, Arizona Public Service Co., dated March 9 that verified the system was “completely safe,” John Munger told the Florence Board of Appeals Tuesday. A copper ground wire had been stolen, but this did not render the overall system unsafe, and APS’ own system served as a backup, Munger said.
Nevertheless, the town gave the tenant, Conquest Arms gun shop, 15 minutes to vacate due to the supposed danger in mid-March, Munger continued. That left building owner Gem Cox with loss of income, a vacant building and the threat of litigation from his former tenant.
