Powell recall language OK’d
Powell recall language OK’d
By CHRISTOPHER DIEM, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — The language for a recall petition targeting Powell Township Supervisor Vincent Bevins was approved this morning at a clarity hearing presided over by Probate Judge Michael Anderegg.
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“I’m relieved, however this is not a happy day ... it’s a very sad day in Powell Township. It’s a very painful thing for the people to do,” Champagne said.
Champagne said he and others — a group of residents called the “Committee for a Cooperative, Open and Respectful Government” — had a lot of work to do to try to collect the signatures. He said if group members were unsuccessful in collecting the required number of signatures by today’s deadline they would try to get the recall petition on the February ballot.
The wording for the recall petition reads: “Mr. Bevins is rude, disrespectful and verbally abusive to both board members and constituents at board meetings and during office hours. Mr. Bevins does not cooperate with the Powell Township Board in making appointments to the Powell Township Planning Commission. Mr. Bevins will not disclose all communication contacts he has had with Kennecott Mineral officials.”
“The voting of the elections commission is 3-0 in favor of clarity,” Anderegg said. Anderegg, County Clerk Connie Branam and County Treasurer Gary Yoder make up the three-person elections commission.
Anderegg stressed that the point of the hearing was not to determine whether the allegations were true or false but to determine that the language of the petition was clear.
“I don’t think the allegations are sufficient to drive a wedge into the people of Powell Township,” Bevins said. “I do not believe that the people should have to go through this. I think this can be worked out in a different manner.”
Bevins said that he would continue to do his job as township supervisor and wait to see if enough signatures were gathered for a recall.
Bevins admitted he may have shown frustration when dealing with board members and constituents in the past.
“I’ve had a moment or two in my frustrations in dealing with this that on my part the problem might have been handled a little bit better,” Bevins said. “Also, at times a meeting must be brought back to order. People come into the office at times and they are frustrated with their problems — I have asked a couple people to leave my office so it wouldn’t turn into a big argument.”
According to Bevins, most of the problems started with the Kennecott Mining issue. Bevins is an opponent of the sulfide mine proposed for the Yellow Dog Plains.
However Champagne has said that the residents supporting the recall have differing viewpoints on sulfide mining, and that the issue wasn’t central to the recall.
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