Recall Petition Launched in Village of Ryley

Recall Petition Launched in Village of Ryley

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Canvassing to un-elect former Mayor Nik Lee got underway April 27, one day after the formal written request was delivered to Chief Administrative Officer Julie Brownridge.

The Recall Petition identifies Councillor Nikita Lee as the councillor to whom it relates and identifies Mickey Wilson as the representative recall petitioner.

Wilson and his team of three canvassers have 60 days from the date the recall petition was filed to collect the minimum of 195 signatures which are required to remove Coun. Lee from elected office.

Only days into the campaign, Wilson reported that the response by residents has been very good. “I’m hearing that most people are eager, and in fact, we are getting stopped on the street to sign. I don’t have an exact count but it sounds like we are about 75 percent to our goal.”

Wilson said, “Democracy is a powerful thing in the hands of the people.” He expects them to deliver the petition at the next council meeting scheduled for May 23.

Resident Christi-Lee Rodgers, who is volunteering her time canvassing, stated, “We were clear in our promise that if he, (Lee) didn’t fix his ways we would do something about it. Elected officials have a responsibility to the people and the people have a responsibility to vote.

This is our vote!”

Volunteer canvassers L-R: Christi-Lee Rodgers, Mickey Wilson and Janet Peterson. Missing from the photo is Fred Yachimec.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

As for reasons for the petition, Wilson said he could name $1.2 million, referring to overspending that occurred in 2022 while Lee was serving as Mayor.

At the April 25 regular council meeting, Mayor Brian Ducherer made the motion, “To direct administration to investigate village financial records, to identify all instances of non-approved commitments of expenditures, all instances of overspending and all instances whereby one or more councillors approved the payment without approval by the CAO; and this investigation shall cover all records starting from Nov. 3, 2021, the date the former permanent CAO was suspended and removed from controlling the village financial management until February 21, 2023, the date the former mayor was replaced and removed from any and all access to financial management and control.” The motion passed unanimously.

Council also passed motions of disqualification for Coun. Lee and Coun. Wood-Herrick. Chief Administrative Officer Julie Brownridge stated that, “According to the MGA when a councillor misses all the regular meetings in an eight week period whether it’s one, two or three; they can be disqualified to be a councillor. However, a disqualification doesn’t actually mean that he’s gone or she’s gone. They have to resign. If they don’t resign, even though they are disqualified, they can then make it a matter of bringing it to the court.” Brownridge said, it could take a year to do that, and in that year they could stay as a councillor until the court decides whether they are disqualified or not.