Jim Needham and Stephen Clark recall, Molalla, Oregon (2012)
| Molalla City Council recall |
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| Officeholders |
Stephen Clark |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2012 Recalls in Oregon Oregon recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Jim Needham and Stephen Clark from their elected positions as members of the Molalla, Oregon city council in Clackamas County was launched in November 2011.[1] The recall effort was abandoned in February 2012 when recall organizers failed to submit enough signatures to force a recall election.[2] It was the second recall attempt against Needham and Clark. In August 2011, the initial recall effort was thwarted when recall organizers received cease and desist letters for allegedly leveling false accusations against the councilors.[1]
Reasons for recall
Scott Clarke, the son of Molalla mayor Mike Clarke, led the recall effort. Clarke said, "These guys are embarrassing our city. All they do is complain, complain, complain and not solve anything." Clark is also accused of causing "turmoil within the City Council." The recall petition said that voters mistakenly voted for Stephen Clark because they thought he was the mayor's son. Mayor Clarke said he had no involvement with the recall effort.[1]
City council response
In January 2012, the Molalla City Council issued a vote of no confidence in Jim Needham. Council President Debbie Rogge said, "It's based on a long history of issues...I'm not going to go into each individual issue now. We are allowed to have a vote of no confidence without explanation."[3]
Path to the ballot
In August 2011, Clarke received the go-ahead to circulate petitions. The original deadline for signature submission was November 8th. However, the initial attempt at recall was blocked after Clarke received cease and desist letters from attorneys representing the recall targets. It was later determined that Clarke had not broken any laws. The second petition was approved for circulation in November, and recall organizers had until February 14th, 2012 to collect 340 signatures of Molalla voters.[1] Recall organizers did not submit any signatures by the deadline. Recall organizer Scott Clarke said, "We decided not to pursue it."[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Oregonian, "Molalla recall campaign under way against city councilors Jim Needham and Stephen Clark," November 23, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Oregonian, "Recall effort ends against Molalla City Councilors Jim Needham, Stephen Clark," February 16, 2012
- ↑ The Oregonian, "Molalla City Council issues vote of no confidence in Councilor Jim Needham," January 26, 2012
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