Recall petition declared invalid
1 Comments Published by Pioneer Staff on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 3:17 PM.
The petitions calling for the recall of city councilor Deb Leighton and Mary Jo Mackey were declared invalid by Molalla city attorney Jack Hammond today.
The petitions, which were filed on June 14 by Molalla resident Michelle Helmig and approved by City Recorder Melanie Maben were incomplete, Hammond said. A contribution and expenditure report and a statement as to whether petition circulators will be paid, both items required by the Secretary of State, were missing from the documents.
Hammond further noted that in the case of Deb Leighton, because she took office Jan. 10, 2007, the Oregon Constitution holds her immune from recall until July 10, 2007, six months after the beginning of her term in office.
City Manager Mike Clarke said Helmig has been notified that the petitions currently circulating are invalid.
-Abby Sewell
The petitions, which were filed on June 14 by Molalla resident Michelle Helmig and approved by City Recorder Melanie Maben were incomplete, Hammond said. A contribution and expenditure report and a statement as to whether petition circulators will be paid, both items required by the Secretary of State, were missing from the documents.
Hammond further noted that in the case of Deb Leighton, because she took office Jan. 10, 2007, the Oregon Constitution holds her immune from recall until July 10, 2007, six months after the beginning of her term in office.
City Manager Mike Clarke said Helmig has been notified that the petitions currently circulating are invalid.
-Abby Sewell
I would like to express what a positive step I believe it to be in declaring invalid the petitions to recall Deb Leighton and Mary Jo Mackie! If the conduct of any member of the Council warranted a recall I would be one of the first to support it. However, as an eyewitness to most of the alleged events which are being referenced in the Molalla Pioneer as justification for the recall effort, I am confident that they would not bear up under any investigation by the Government Standards and Practices Commission.
I consider the character of Deb and Mary Jo above reproach, as well as my other colleagues on the Council! I also recognize the concerns of persons seeking the recall and would like to see those concerns addressed in a fashion which will not produce more divisiveness and injury. I’m certain that if there were any inappropriate conduct in City Hall the light of truth will reveal it.
I’ve watched the events which have transpired since the resignation of Gene Green as City Manager, and believe that all parties have conducted themselves as professionally and objective as they were able. Nevertheless legitimate inquiries have led to unexpected disclosures and subsequent results which I find tragic and regrettable. Although there have been many innuendoes of wrong-doing I have seen no evidence of any malice of forethought or intentional effort to injure, offend, or mislead.
I know that several good people in our community, in and out of City Hall, have suffered grave emotional injury which I wish could’ve been avoided. The unfortunate element of any decision making is that there will be some who will prevail and some who won’t. At such times I believe it to be imperative that we remember the final outcome does not diminish our character unless we permit it.
I look forward to shifting the focus of City Hall to those issues which will benefit and unite our community.