County attorney's opinion keeps Burns on OV Council

Oro Valley Mayor Satish Hiremath asked the County Attorney’s Office in July to investigate whether Burns lives in the town. State law requires council members to be residents of the municipality they govern.

The level of discord between the two escalated further when Burns responded to the complaint in an email to the mayor.

“So I assume you realize you are lying to the public about your leadership style when you actively work to discredit and remove fellow council members. I cannot stand a man without integrity or honor. You, sir, have neither,” Burns said in the email.

Hiremath forwarded that email to the County Attorney’s Office and other authorities along with a note saying he was concerned for his safety and the safety of town employees. The Star obtained the emails through a public-records request.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Amelia Cramer responded to the mayor’s initial complaint in a letter Wednesday, saying that after “a thorough investigation” she concluded Burns is only temporarily absent from the town, which is allowed under state law.

“During the investigation, Mr. Burns provided evidence that he is currently residing within the town limits of Oro Valley,” Cramer wrote in the opinion.

Burns listed a Casas Adobes-area apartment as his address on court documents after he was arrested in May and indicted in July on felony burglary and domestic-violence charges for an incident with his estranged wife at her home. He pleaded not guilty in his initial court appearance last month. Plea-deal negotiations are ongoing, and the couple’s divorce is proceeding.

Burns was elected in 2012, and his term expires in 2016. He is paid $9,926 a year by the town.