Fourth Ward Councilman Daryl Dudley recall announcements

4th Ward Councilman Daryl Dudley recall announcements

 

I've been asked to forward announcements about the initiative to recall 4th Ward Councilman Daryl Dudley and boycott the Atkins Corporation (to follow) over their attempts to force Ward reapportionment Trial D on multiple neighborhoods in the Third and Fourth Ward, against the advice of the Ward Reapportionment Committee (WRC), public commentary -- and even Trib publisher Hank Waters.

 

Please note:  As a transparency safeguard, listserv announcements also go to city staff, local reporters, and City Council members. 

 

 

1)  Daryl Dudley Recall Initiative

 

A group organizing the recall expects to have a petition drafted by today 10/10 and printed by Tuesday, 10/11.   "Although the first volunteers will hit the streets on Tuesday, we expect our kickoff meeting will be Wednesday or Thursday (we'll get date, time and location verified tomorrow)," says group member Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, vice president of the Park Hill Improvement Association.  

 

Contact your 4th Ward neighborhood association president for more information.  

 

Several First and Third Ward neighborhood associations are supporting the effort, so if you live in the First or Third Ward, contact your neighborhood association as well. 

 

An updated contact list of neighborhood associations is at this link: 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Neighborhoods/Neighborhood_Associations/documents/NAContactList_1.pdf

 

To find out which neighborhood association you are in, visit: 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Neighborhoods/Neighborhood_Associations/index.php

 

 

2)  The history of Council Person Recall

 

Recall efforts are not new to Columbia.  In 1988, a move to recall then Mayor Rodney Smith kicked off over charges of City Hall racism and arrogance (imagine that).   In 1991, voters successfully recalled 5th Ward Councilman Chester Edwards for "siding with a developer in a land use dispute," the Trib reported (imagine that, too). 

 

Finally, in 2006 talk of recalling First Ward Councilwoman Almeta Crayton reached petition stage in the First Ward.  That movement died down after Crayton ran for re-election against a popular opponent, Paul Sturtz, who won. 

 

 

3)  The law of Council Person Recall

 

Columbia's City Charter governs recall efforts under ARTICLE XVII. INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL, specifically SECTIONS 136-140.  Link here:

 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Columbia_Code_of_Ordinances/Chapter_99/01.html

 

"Section 136. Recall Petition:  Any officer elected by vote of the people may be removed by the voters qualified to vote for a successor to such incumbent.  The procedure to effect the removal of such incumbent shall be as follows," the Charter explains.  At least 30% of the number of votes cast in the Council person's election must sign the petition, or roughly 1,500 registered voters. 

 

The petition is then put to a vote of the people.  "When a sufficient recall petition has been filed, the city clerk shall submit the same to the council without delay, and the council shall call an election on said recall at the next election provided for by state law."   The Recall Ballot shall then read: 

 

Shall Councilman Daryl Dudley be removed from office?

 

YES

 

NO

 

If Mr. Dudley is recalled, Section 9 of the City Charter instructs that "Every vacancy in any elective office shall be filled by the council for a period running to the next regular election, unless such period exceeds one year.   In the latter case, the council shall make provision for a special election."

 

As one wag pointed out, "Watch out -- they might appoint Scott Atkins."   But Mr. Dudley's remaining term exceeds one year, so the Council would have to call a special election. 

 

5 comments:

1. 
   Charles E Dudley Jr October 10, 2011 at 11:54 AM

   My view on this ongoing issue:
   http://cfcic.18.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=6385
   
   Controversial but to the point.

   Reply
    
2. 
   Charles E Dudley Jr October 11, 2011 at 12:01 PM

   So Councilman Dudley is going to be recalled over a proposal that has not even been voted on as yet? What is wrong with this picture?

   Reply
    
3. 
   Anonymous October 13, 2011 at 8:46 PM

   The blatant gerrymandering is what's wrong with the picture, Chuck. And while it's the only act by Mr. Dudley to date sufficient to require recall, it is an act more than sufficient on a grand scale.

   Reply
    
4. 
   Anonymous October 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM

   Tar and feather the councilman is the progressives' call to "punish" this political newcomer.
   That's what's wrong with this picture.
   Gerrymandering: Is it legal or just a wedge issue?
   ("Take a look at a political map of California, and see the bizarre shaped districts we have. There are some districts that snake for miles along the developed area along a freeway, encompassing all the low income housing that has sprung up and filled with Democrats, while carefully avoiding the surrounding farmland and its Republican farming families. Huge areas of rural California, instead of being designated as an electoral district - which would vote Republican - are chopped into "pizza wedge" shaped districts that are attached to the urban areas of numerous different cities to dilute the vote.
   
   So long as the Democrats have a majority in the Legislature - which draws the districts - they can draw them to protect their majority.
   
   As a result, while CA voters in the last election were split 54%/46% Democrat/Republican, the representatives they elected were almost 70% Democrat.
   
   Here is a map of districts in CA to show the bizarre shapes the Democrats drew to protect their incumbents.")
   
   http://www.calvoter.org/voter/maps/state…
   
   http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081014170428AAm8tIW
   Also:
   http://www.ilrg.com/gerrymandering.html

   Reply
    
5. 
   Elizabeth Hornbeck October 16, 2011 at 2:02 PM

   Chuck Dudley wrote "So Councilman Dudley is going to be recalled over a proposal that has not even been voted on as yet? What is wrong with this picture?" The reason the petition drive is happening NOW is that if Plan D is approved on Monday night, several thousand affected Columbia residents will be effectively disenfranchised and won't be eligible to sign the petition recalling a 4th ward councilman -- because they will have been shuffled off to the 1st ward! This could be their last opportunity to act on an issue that has an enormous impact on them.

   Reply