Village resident Norm Bass who spearheaded a petition drive to recall Village Council President Patricia Wartella has submitted 234 signatures of 175 needed in an effort to place the issue on the May 3 ballot.
‘There was no problem getting the signatures,? he said. ‘The biggest obstacle was the weather’it was bad.?
Bass said he delivered the petitions on Jan. 27, a day before the Jan. 28 deadline. The petition filed on Dec.20 was approved 2-0 by Genesee County Clerk Michael Carr and Chief Probate Judge Jennie Barkey. County Treasurer Deb Cherry was absent.
Bass filed a previous recall petition against Wartella on Nov. 12, ‘for (her) total disregard for the financial well-being and saf(e)ty of the residents of the Village of Goodrich.? The petition was denied 3-0 on Nov. 21 by Genesee County Clerk Michael Carr, County Treasurer Deb Cherry and Chief Probate Judge Jennie Barkey.
A minimum of 175 signatures, 25 percent of the last gubernatorial election (November 2010) were needed within 180 days. No signature can be older than 90 days. Now the signatures must be verified by the Genesee County Clerk’s Office. The new recall language reads as follows:
‘Ms. Wartella voted to terminate the attorney who had represented the village for nearly 20 years. She also voted to terminate the street administrator who had also served in that position for many years. She also said at that first meeting that she wanted to transfer street and roadway maintenance to Genesee County and away from the Village Department of Public Works.?
Wartella said the recall attempt will not change her or the council’s focus.
‘They just can’t handle the fact we hold the majority,? she said. ‘Everything promised in November’s election we are doing. The majority of the people in the election spoke. The truth will come out. Why they are following Norm Bass I just don’t understand. He (Bass) has plenty of reasons to be concerned about himself, not me.?