FLDS dominated council backs away from fight over utilities

The Eldorado Success myeldorado.net

HILDALE, UT -- Ross and Lori Chatwin, the Colorado City, Arizona couple who defied an order to leave their home after being excommunicated from the FLDS church by its Prophet Warren Jeffs, won yet another victory Friday when the Hildale, UT city council was forced to back down from its decision to disconnect electric power and water service to their home. The Chatwins appeared Friday at an emergency meeting of the Hildale city council where they pleaded with the panel not to turn off their electricity. But council members, who are all FLDS members, referred to the couple as "squatters" and denied the Chatwins’ request. Later that day, workers from the Hildale City Utility Dept. which also handles services in Colorado City, arrived at the Chatwin home and disconnected the electric and water services. The outage lasted just over an hour before calls from the media prompted Hildale officials to back down. By mid afternoon the power was restored and the water was turned back on. The showdown began more than a year ago when Ross Chatwin was excommunicated from the FLDS church by Prophet Warren Jeffs. He was also ordered to move out of his home which sits on land owned by the United Effort Plan, a charitable trust owned and controlled by the church. But Chatwin refused to comply and went to court to fight the eviction. Arguing that UEP rules require that he be compensated for improvements he made to the property, Chatwin convinced a Mohave County Arizona judge to award him a life estate in the home. The judge’s order effectively prohibits the FLDS church and the UEP trust from evicting Chatwin but it does not stop the two entities from continuing to pressure Chatwin to leave. The first move came when FLDS attorney Rod Parker appealed the court’s decision. Then, while the case was before the court, Chatwin’s brother Stephen, who is still an FLDS member, moved into the upper floor of the Chatwin’s two-story house. As if to compound things, the Hildale City Utility Dept. changed the utility account into Stephen Chatwin’s name. When Stephen Chatwin suddenly moved out of the home a few weeks ago and asked that his utilities be disconnected, Ross and Lori Chatwin found themselves fighting to keep their lights and water on. Attempts to set up a new account were rebuffed, according to Lori Chatwin, because neither she nor her husband are considered the legal property owner, and Hildale Utility Dept. rules require the property owner to sign-off on new accounts, despite the fact that Ross Chatwin has a life estate in the property. FLDS Bishop William Timpson, who oversees the UEP property in Hildale and Colorado City, reportedly declined to approve the Chatwin’s request. Timpson, who is also a member of the Hildale City Council, was present at Friday’s meeting where he again refused to sign. Ultimately the Hildale City Council approved the termination the Chatwins’ utilities, but did offer them the option of meeting with the city’s utility board at a later date. Early that afternoon the water and electric service was turned off as the Chatwins’ 6-year-old daughter Carol looked on and as a cameraman working on a documentary video taped the whole thing. Calls from a newspaper reporters soon found Hildale Mayor James Zitting and shortly after that the city had a change of heart. Chatwin was allowed to sign for a new account and the power was promptly turned back on. Editor’s note: Ross and Lori Chatwin were once ardent followers of the FLDS church. Since being excommunicated, they have become outspoken critics of Prophet Warren Jeffs whose followers who make up the vast majority of the inhabitants of Colorado City/Hildale. It should also be noted that YFZ Ranch officials, who also follow Warren Jeffs, have expressed an interest in acquiring the electric power line that serves the ranch. The Eldorado Success has made repeated attempts to contact Warren Jeffs and the leaders of the FLDS church. It invites Jeffs to comment on this story as well as other aspects of the overall story surrounding the FLDS and the YFZ Ranch.

myeldorado.net Originally published April 28, 2005

Back

For more information email: