Gilbert Town Council grants delay on Morrison Ranch vote during contentious meeting

GILBERT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — A follow up to our Arizona’s Family investigation, where an out-of-town developer trying to build a light industrial park next to Morrison Ranch in Gilbert and the families against it. “Kick me out! We are here to talk about the ranch,” yelled a woman who was later kicked out. “You ruined my neighborhood! Back me up, people!”

Those families showed up to the re-zoning vote Tuesday night, but the Town Council granted the developer, IndiCap, a continuance on the re-zoning vote. The vote will now be on December 13th. “I think we’re going to have to take a 5 minute break. We’ll get back to this,” said Aimee Yentes, the Town Council’s Vice Mayor. The council took a recess to escape an emotional environment met with boos and shouting from the audience, most of them Morrison Ranch residents. The neighborhood faces a re-zoning vote, which that would bring manufacturing warehouses and semi-trucks to a development called “The Ranch.”

Councilmembers Scott September and Yung Koprowski were met with “pay for play accusations” first reported by Arizona’s Family investigation into their campaign finance records. According to these records, IndiCap donated $5,000 each to their re-election campaigns in July. “At least two members of this council received significant donations in July to their campaigns by both the developers and the law firm representing the developer,” said a woman during public comment.

Arizona’s Family tried to speak with Councilmember September, but he avoided our cameras as the crew stood behind a roped-off area. September, who lost his re-election bid, did not defend his contributions, but Koprowski, who won hers, did. “There is no dollar amount, there is no fame, no project that would cause me to compromise my integrity,” said Koprowski. “I really love this town and want to serve my community.”

Mayor Brigette Peterson expressed concern for the current plans and now the delay of the vote. “I was asked what keeps me up at night,this is one of the cases that keep me up at night.” The re-zoning vote is now slated for December 13th, 2022.

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