According to the charter, a petition for recall requires a minimum 750 signatures, or 51 percent of the city’s qualified voters, whichever is greater.
Ms. Lees said Councilman Mark Peterson received 772 signatures; Councilman Ray Don Clayton had 768 signatures; Councilwoman Charlotte Heinze received 772 signatures and Mayor pro tem Robert Reeves received 762 signatures.
“According to the charter, the city secretary certifies the petitions to the council,” Ms. Lees said.
At the Aug. 19 meeting, Ms. Lees will bring a resolution to the council asking for a special election for recall, which will be held Nov. 4, the same day the city will choose a new mayor and the country will elect a new president.
The resolution requires a vote of the city council. If that doesn’t take place, the issue will go before Coryell County District Judge Phillip Zeigler.
So what happens after a recall?
“If that does happen,” Ms. Lees said. “They would immediately no longer be on the council.”
This would force the city to turn around and request another election, which may not happen until at least February, leaving the city virtually leaderless.
Until that time, no council meetings could be held, Ms. Lees said. City business requiring council approval would be put on hold, she said.
Diane Steel began spearheading a petition drive in March to have Clayton, Heinze, Peterson and Reeves recalled for violating the city charter, shortly after Mayor Roger O’Dwyer was removed from office for the same violation.
Ms. Steel, a long-time supporter of O’Dwyer’s, vowed to have the council recalled and began her petition drive in June across the street from city hall.
Those petitions were turned into Ms. Lees earlier this month.
“I think this is over and I think the council is going to have to face that fact,” Ms. Steel said. “They are going to get the message that the people here are very unhappy with what they’ve done. They are not going tolerate this anymore.”
Bill Thomas, who first charged that O’Dwyer violated the charter, said while the signatures may be there, the voters themselves may not be.
“The people who are going to vote for recall don’t even come close to the people who signed it,” Thomas said. “This thing is weird and that is all you can say.”
