Armstrong: 'I decline to resign'
By JOHN SERFUSTINI
Sun Advocate associate editor
After listening for several minutes to a citizen call for his resignation because of his DUI arrest, Helper Mayor Dean Armstrong stated his position in four words: "I decline to resign."
From the volume of applause that followed his comment, it appeared that the majority of the crowd crammed into the small council chamber at Civic Auditorium agreed with his decision. But the citizens were not unanimous. Angel Dalpiaz, wife of former mayor Mike Dalpiaz, was also applauded for the criticism she leveled at Armstrong.
"You put people in peril," she declared. "I don't believe you had any idea what you did." Dalpiaz insisted that Armstrong's arrest in Price on Nov. 16 harmed the city's reputation in and out of state. She asked him to resign from office so he could get control of his conduct and to give Helper a chance to clean up its image.
Armstrong thanked her for her comments, said he was not leaving, and moved the meeting on to other agenda items.
Several days after his arrest, Armstrong had told the Sun Advocate that he believed his DUI was a "serious error in judgment." He had deliberated on whether or not to resign from his position as mayor, but ultimately decided to remain in office.
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