By Linda Bentley
Following an evidentiary hearing on Tuesday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael D. Gordon recessed for about 15 minutes before issuing his ruling denying plaintiff Robert Papineau’s challenge to have Cave Creek Town Council candidate Adam Trenk removed from the ballot on grounds he did not meet the residency requirement.
Prior to the hearing, attorneys Tom Rawles, representing Papineau, and Tim LaSota, representing Trenk, were granted 10 minutes to stipulate to some of the facts in the case.
Trenk was grilled on the stand by Rawles, during which it was established that Trenk purchased a house in Scottsdale in February 2011, listed his home in Cave Creek on Highland Road for lease in March and leased it to Dominic Dovidio on July 1, 2011.
Trenk kept access to a portion of his property, including a room inside the home where he stored some personal belongings, the barn and a travel trailer that was parked on his property for about three months.
Trenk established the fact he lived in the Scottsdale home during the weekdays but stayed in Cave Creek on the weekends where he rode his horses and visited with his friends.
