Recall in the Press and comment by Gramps

Mayor, council member get petitions
GRAND TERRACE: A group makes its second effort to launch a recall of the two officials.


10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, June 8, 2006
By JULIE FARREN
The Press-Enterprise



GRAND TERRACE - The mayor and a council member silently accepted petitions Thursday in a second attempt by citizens to start what could be the city's first recall drive.

"If at first you don't succeed," resident Bill Hays said as he approached the podium for the second time in two weeks to kick off a recall.

The petitions of intent served by Hays at the council's May 25 meeting were ruled invalid by City Clerk Brenda Mesa because signatures were not also printed, city officials said at the time.

On Thursday, Hays told council the new petition contains 20 new names and three from the first petition.

The petition targets Mayor Maryetta Ferre and Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia for reasons including using redevelopment money for private interests and holding secret meetings. Ferre has denied all claims listed by the citizens. She and Garcia did not comment after they were served with the petitions Thursday.

Hays said he and other citizens would speak specifically about their concerns during the two to three meetings before the City Council election in November.

"We will come into the podium and give reasons at each meeting why you and Councilwoman Garcia should be recalled," he said.

What's next

Under California election laws, the petitions of intent to recall Grand Terrace Mayor Maryetta Ferre and Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia are the first step in the process

Signatures on the petitions must now be validated by the city clerk.

If that happens, Ferre and Garcia would have seven days to respond.

After that, the citizens seeking the recall would have to submit another petition with 1,500 signatures and the responses.

If the 1,500 signatures are validated, a recall election could be held.

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

Grandpa has to add:

There was a response to the Second Serving of the Notice of Intent to Recall:

Mayor Ferre's response was: "This is the third service of Notice which each prior time has been deemed "insufficient". She admonished the citizens of Grand Terrace to try to be supportive of the City Council, by providing solutions, and suggestions, not such activities which are distractions such as the recall.

Lee Ann Garcia's response was she had three things to say: First: All the allegations are False. Second: She will continue to serve the City of Grand Terrace. Third: She issued a direction to the citizens before they sign a petition to look into the facts.

Well, Mayor Ferre, a recall is in fact a potential solution to the city's current management problems. The "Insufficiency" was not related to the reason for the recall rather it was a secretarial flaw, the signators did not also print their names as required. This was a minor format error which the Mayor desires to portray as an "Insufficiency" in order to diminish the efforts validity in the eyes of the public. This is the second not third time this particular intent to recall has been served.

Well, Council Member Garcia, the facts are, even at the June 8th Meeting, the Doors to City Hall were locked so that people wishing to hear the results of the Closed Meeting, which are required to be announced after such meetings, were locked out. The facts are that the city is currently in court as a result of the actions of the City Council, including Mayor Ferre, and Council Member Garcia. The fact is that the rules quote each meeting regarding the Brown Act, and the Council's inability to comment or discuss things brought up by the citizens during the Public Comment Portion of the agenda, is not what the Brown Act, states. The fact is that the Recalled Council Members approved Redevelopment Plans and Actions which have put the city into debt, and used funds for the purpose of providing funds or economic advantage to city employees. Those are just some of the facts the Citizens should consider when they sign the Recall Petition soon to be circulating around town.

Just the facts.