Recall In The News: and Comment

Recall effort faces roadblock
GRAND TERRACE: One petition was approved, but another was tossed out on a technicality.

10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 14, 2006
By JULIE FARREN
The Press-Enterprise


A recall petition against a council member was approved Wednesday but a similar measure against the mayor was ruled invalid because of its wording, the city clerk said.

In Grand Terrace, voters elect five council members who then name a mayor from among themselves.

The petition of intent seeking the recall of Mayor Maryetta Ferre addressed her as mayor, not as a council member.

"She was elected as a council member and that is the position she is to be recalled from," City Clerk Brenda Mesa said.

Bill Hays, who is representing citizens seeking the recall, served Ferre and Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia with petitions at the May 25 and June 8 council meetings.

Hays said Mesa called him Wednesday with the news.

"Technically, there is no position as mayor of the city of Grand Terrace," Hays said. "She is not elected, she is selected."

The signatures of registered voters on both petitions were approved. A previous petition was ruled invalid because the signatures did not include printed versions of the names.

Because the mayor's petition of intent will have to be served again, the citizens behind the effort will have less time to complete the next step in the process -- gathering 1,500 signatures on a larger petition that clears the way to getting the recall on election ballots, Hays said.

They will have to hire help to complete the process, Hays said.

Reach Julie Farren at 909-806-3066 or jfarren@PE.com


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Online at: http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_News_Local_B_brecall15.84b3f2.html


Grandpa Makes the following Observation.

The wording on the Top of the Intent To Recall Notice the First time said Mayor (The sample Copy). The Second Try, it said Mayor Ferre. The Third Try as Council Member Ferre would count the documents, also said Mayor Ferre. It is this Third document where this is identified as a justification to reject the Intent to Recall Notice.

Now I agree that Council Member Ferre is not a Mayor. Hence forth she will be so notated and referred to as Council Member Ferre, not Mayor Ferre. One must wonder how many documents are invalid as they are signed by Mayor Ferre, not Council Member Ferre. HMMMM just think of it...

So those backing the Recall will go back to the type writer and change the words Mayor to Council Member, get the signatures again, and reserve the Council Member. She'll have an opportunity to make a comment about how tedious and un professional the recall small group of people are.

This is where I must raise a point of fact. It is the responsibility of the City Clerk, to approve the documents. The use of Mayor was not objected to on the Draft and the next document. Don't blame the Recall People for the delay. The City Clerk should have provided a complete list of corrections on the draft document, or at least at the first time it was served and rejected. This is the bottle neck. However, in all fairness to the City Clerk, it isn't like every day we recall someone in GT. We are all new at the process. Citizens will learn and learn well.

Citizen activists, increased input, providing solutions, progress and change. Isn't that what we want. Balanced Budgets, Money Spent Well, Fair Bidding, and Open Meetings. This is not disruptive, this is constructive. The suggestion has been made and duly noted several times, yet the Council and City Manager has not heard the public.