Goodrich-Don’t look for a recall election in the village this year.
A deadline to obtain signatures from village voters to put the recall of four councilmembers on the Nov. 3 ballot passed by on July 31. The number of signatures needed is 25 percent of the registered voters in the village who voted in the last gubernatorial election or 199 village residents.
The deadline is now moved to Nov. 20 to place the village recall on the Feb. 23, 2010 ballot.
Diane Fredericks, who spearheaded the recall effort which was OK’d by the county in June, said the group had been aiming for the February 2010 election from the very beginning.
‘I have been amazed at the level of support for the recall that I’ve received,? said Fredericks, a village resident for the past nine years.
‘Residents have shared with me a host of problems they have with the village council. People are very angry and are asking for the recall petitions to be circulated. In the next few weeks we’ll get around for those wishing to sign. It will move forward.?
Allegations of refusal to reduce village costs prompted the recall petitions aimed at ousting councilmembers Richard Horton, David Lucik and Pete Morey, as well as Council President Edmund York, were filed by Fredericks. Councilmember Patricia Wartella was not named.
If the recall is successful in February 2010, four temporary councilmembers would be appointed until a May 2010 election. Those terms would run until the November 2010 election when Councilmembers Lucik’s, Horton’s and York’s terms would have expired if they had not been recalled. Councilmember Morey’s term expires in 2012.
Council President York questions the practicality of the recall and the impact on a budget druring tough economic times in the village.
‘If you consider the logistics of the recall, it makes no sense,? said York.
‘Three of the council would be out for only nine months’we could run again at that time. In the meanwhile, taxpayers are paying for extra elections at about $2,000 each.?