By Joshua Bowling | Arizona Republic
The Surprise City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to remove City Council candidate Jack Hastings from the city’s Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission after its chairwoman accused him of using his seat to campaign. Some call it “a bit of a stretch” and “small-town politics.”
Hastings, a 15-year Surprise resident who teaches civics at Valley Vista High School, has been on the arts commission since 2018. He qualified for the Aug. 4 City Council ballot.
The City Council will vote on whether to remove Hastings from the arts commission after chairwoman Margaret Lieu accused him of being late for meetings, campaigning at an arts festival and posting city information on social media before the city did.
Hastings said two residents at the festival asked him if he was running for office and he confirmed he was.
