Goodrich – The petition filed on Oct. 2 by village resident Greg Tankersley to recall the village council has been approved.
The allegation made on the petition, ‘failure to balance the village budget when requested to do so,? was approved at the clarity hearing on Oct. 16 by Judge Robert Weiss and Genesee County Clerk Michael Carr.
The petition is aimed at four of five village council members, President Edmund York, Richard Horton, David Lucik and Pete Morey. Not named in the recall is Patricia Wartella.
‘This was not a judgment of right or wrong or what is truthful or not. We check the language to make sure it’s clear enough so the village council can write a 200 word rebuttal which will be placed on the recall ballot,? said Carr.
Greg Tankersley said he will start collecting signatures on Oct. 20.
‘I am only required to get 199 signatures to get the petition approved; however, I am going to all of the houses in the village to collect at least 400 signatures, which I think will take me about 30 days,? he said. Tankersley said it should be easy to get the signatures, but getting people out to vote for the recall.is harder.
‘I need to talk to as many people as possible so they understand the overspending problem in the village. I also want residents in our village to start going to the village council meetings. They don’t have to agree with me, I just think it is important that people get involved in their local government. Look at the state budget right now. The easiest thing for the state to do was to raise taxes. It’s the same thing that could happen in the village,? said Tankersley.
Councilman Pete Morey doesn’t think Tankersley’s motives are about money at all.
‘He was with the people to vacate the village, he ran to get elected and was defeated. He tried to disband his subdivision from the village and failed. This is his way of trying to vacate the village again,? he said.
Morey said he doesn’t think the village finances are over budget.
‘When you take money out of the fund balance to do a project, it only looks like you are over your budget because money is being taken from savings to do projects in the village,? he said.
Councilman David Lucik said it’s the improvements to the village that residents need to notice.
‘I just want people to look around and see what we have done,? said Lucik.
It is the oath Lucik took when he was sworn in to be a councilman that he said he tries to stick to. ‘Part of our oath is to protect the village’s health, safety, and welfare,? he said.
Lucik said Tankersley has fought hard to get the East Hegel traffic light removed.
‘He doesn’t want the light on M-15, which I can’t imagine anyone not wanting that light to stay. I am not sure he is looking out for the safety of our residents,? said ‘The silent majority really does know what we have done in this village. They voted us into office and they will keep us there.?
Village Council President Ed York said it will be business as usual.
‘The recall process is a long one and none of this will distract me from doing what I feel is right for the community.?