Paperwork slows recall petition process

Those attempting to get rid of certain Arkansas-side directors say delay not a problem

The logistics of legal matters put a slight delay in the process of attempting a recall of three members of the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors.

Although paperwork had been filed in the City Clerk’s Office on Monday for Ward 2 Director Laney Harris and on Tuesday for Ward 5 Director Mike Jones and Ward 6 Director Sue Johnson, additional paperwork had to be filed in that office on Friday. The additional paperwork required was an example of the actual recall petition to be distributed for signatures in the respective wards.

Dwayne Hall, Miller County Patriot vice president who has been actively involved in the process, said the requirement for the additional paperwork was only a slight setback and would not delay the petitioners long.

“What this means is yes, you can fight city hall,” Hall said.

The directors who have been selected for a recall are those who voted to rehire Boldt on Sept. 5 after his employment had discontinued in March. In March, Boldt lost his temper with a citizen and then was taken into immediate executive session.

Although Ward 3 Director Londell Williams

also voted to rehire Boldt, a petition to recall him has not yet been filed. Hall said he expects this to take place next week. A person from Williams’ ward must file the petition with the city. According to state law 14-61-119 on the Removal of a Director, a petition has to be filed with the city clerk 90 days after the collection of the signatures begins, which means the election could not be held in what remainds of 2013.

The law also states a copy of the petition of recall must be mailed to each director before signatures can be collected.

Hall said he was told by Heather Soyars, deputy city clerk, the letters were sent out Friday. Mayor Wayne Smith said he had been told the letters were sent out Friday.

“It’s a little complicated, but I believe we can get signatures as soon as the letters are sent,” Hall said.

In addition, state law requires a date of an election be not less than 30 and not more than 40 days from the date of the clerk’s certificate to the board that a sufficient petition is field.

Should a recall election take place, there will be a cost to the city, said Linda Crawford, Miller County election coordinator. Crawford estimates the cost would be about $15,000. Those costs would go towards several items required for an election, she said.

“The state of Arkansas requires four poll workers per precinct and some wards have more than one (precinct),” she said. “Other costs would likely have to do with electronics and advertising.”

All elections in the state are held on the second Tuesday of the month, she said.

There will be a planning and training session for those interested in being involved with the petition process at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Clarion La Crosse Hotel. After the meeting, the group will move forward with the process of asking people to sign petitions.

“It is an unprecedented effort—a daunting task to get about 2,000 people to sign. That is one reason a recall is rarely used,” Hall said earlier this week. “But as we have said, we have had a tremendous amount of support in the community.”

According to a memo from City Attorney George Matteson, the numbers needed for recall in each Ward would be 341 for Harris’ ward, 454 for Jones’ ward and 831 for Johnson’s ward. These number represent 35 percent of the number of those who cast votes in these wards in the 2012 election which were 972 in Harris’ ward, 1,297 in Jones’ ward and 2,373 in Johnnson’s ward.

Hall said he would like the petitions to be handled strictly by volunteers, but there is a possibility people could be paid to be solicitors to gain the signatures. This process has been put on pause for the moment, Hall said.

“The recalls that are done on a state level in Arkansas are usually handled by solicitors,” Hall said.

Hall said his group will be working out details of locations to have petition-signing events in each ward and will let the public know where these places are when times and dates are set. Meanwhile, for more information about the recall, call Gregg Jones, executive director of Miller County Patriots, at 903-506-1529.