COG is reporting that it has completed the first step in its latest attempt to recall Precinct 6 Town Councilor Janet Joakim. It found 50 or so people in Precinct 6 willing to sign anything. The affidavit these people signed allows the recallers to take out a recall petition. Recallers have 10 days from the issuance of the petition to get 10% of registered Precinct 6 voters (around 250) to sign the petition. If they obtain the correct amount of signatures (as certified by the Town Clerk), there will be a recall election scheduled for between 45-60 days after the Clerk certified the petition (unless Councilor Joakim were to resign, which is HIGHLY unlikely). In that election, AT LEAST 20% of Precinct 6 must show up for the results to count AND the majority must vote that she be recalled.
The recall process is not a simple one and is another good example of things that were done correctly in the construction of our current charter. A recall is an important voter tool and a serious matter, and (because of how the charter was written) it cannot be done on a whim.
The ironic matter of this recall is that it will cost between $7,000-$15,000 to perform the recall election (should the recallers succeed in reaching the election). Considering the EXTREMELY poor turnouts at Barnstable elections, it would not be surprising to see LESS that 20% of Precinct 6 show up, which would nullify the results. So, between actually LOSING the election (which is what COGers do best) and not getting enough voters to show up, there is a very good chance that they could be wasting a good amount of OUR money.
Now, I am not an expert on recalls, but the way that I read the charter makes this even more interesting. As I read it, IF a recall election is successful, then ANOTHER separate election must be held 50-120 days later to fill the vacant slot. Which means that a successful recall costs between $14,000-$30,000. YIKES!
Here's a good article from The Barnstable Patriot's archives describing the recall process.
Here's an article from the Patriot in 2007, that details the start of last failed attempt to recall Councilor Joakim and in which Town Clerk Linda Hutchenrider estimates that "a single-precinct recall election would cost between $6,000 and $7,000".
TJ, over at The Barnstable Beat puts the cost of a recall election at up to $15,000.
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17 comments:
It sounds like this recall threat has collapsed already. Hang on for the inevitable Lopez retirement announcement.
Wishful thinking.
Joakim has cost her taxpayers plenty by lying to them about the split tax and every other campaign promise she has ever made. If she is so worried about the money it will cost the town to recall her, she can always resign. In fact, she has and will be asked to resign when the signatures are certified.
Hopefully her brother won't destroy the waterways committee and the Atsalis kid won't cause another ZBA walk out. BTW, is his car registered?
Sounds like one of the signature gatherers quit for personal reasons. Looks like new blood is on board and they are still going for it. If they get 50 affidavit signatures certified today, the town clerk will give them petition forms to get the necessary ten percent. This should be attainable, but I agree that it will be tough to get 20 percent to show up at the polls.
Their timing seems to be pretty good though, this being such a hot presidential election year, and Joakim being such a screw up. The Patriot bloodied her pretty bad last week. She really just ought to quit for the good of the town.
15K is nothing for this town. Is that the only argument you have left against a recall? Joakim loves to blow town money on worthless trips, land we don't need, and outside law firms to defend the sixteen hundred lawsuits currently in litigation against the town. There is 24 million in Hank's bank. He would probably personally write a check for the recall election at this point.
It is no longer just crazy coggers who want Joakim out. Her own councilors are sick to death of her. It was written all over their faces at the last council meeting. She should have resigned from the presidency when Farnham asked her to. Now she is looking at a far worse political fate.
A recall election for Joakim would be fifteen thousand dollars well spent for Barnstable! She needs to go. Chirigotis is a better choice for president, and just about anybody would do a better job in the sixth.
How about if the responsible person who continues to harass Ms. Joakim and waste tax dollars, picks up the tab if/when the recall effort fails? It is the cheap date that eats like a PIG when someone else is picking up the tab...
Harrassing a councillor and their family constantly does nothing but keep good people from taking on the job.
Some of these people need to clean their own laundry before digging in other people's laundry baskets.
Lets examine some of the dirty smelly laundry these Cogomites generate!
Seems that there is a story to tell about the break up of these two BFF's.
Where did the bob-haired blonde's crazy website go?
Ding Dong the witch is dead. Deal with it.
TJ,
I am going to assume that Janet either reads this blog or has the information passed along to her. I agree with Coddah, who has been fighting the good fight against lopez et al for quite some time. I have no love for Lopez and his cult, I know personally of his lies and distortions and the only thing I dislike more than COG is having to agree with them.
I have a pretty good understanding of what really is going on in the town, not just the news spread by COG and I am tired of the crap. Janet Joakim may have honorable intentions or at least may have when she first ran for office but she has continually played into the hands of COG with her flip flops and screwups. I watched her on the televised debate promise to follow the wishes of her precinct voters about the split tax and when she broke that promise she lost my support in future elections forever. This is not big government where you are expected to do things like this, this is a small town and when you give your specific word about a specific issue and then break it, it is nothing but wrong.
In my view she has gotten in over her head, is being far too influenced by a small group in and out of the council, and is causing many problems for the residents of this town. Not the least of these is giving Lopez the ability to actually be correct and gain strength and credibility. He is unable to do it without these type of actions from out leaders. Appearances are everything in politics and the appearances here really suck.
If not for my great concern of a COG cool aid groupie gaining office and really ruining our town I would be in full support of this recall, as it is I am on the fence. If there was a good candidate to run then I believe most of us who understand and care for this town would think it time for a change before any other damage is done. If nothing else stop screwing with the rules, it only gives them credibility. If the recall goes forward and the voters want Joakim out then so be it. I am so tired of this, I want Lopez and Julius to go away but until this kind or crap stops we will never be rid of them.
Please listen Janet, and the rest of the council and appointed boards as well, the mainstream residents are becoming fed up. We are not the radicals from the blogs, we are the people you should be serving and it is time to start behaving as leaders, not self serving politicians.
I would really appreciate if some councilors including Janet would post a reply to this, again as much as I hate to agree with them I have to say the responses to voter concerns by our councilors has been disappointing at best.
The bobsie twins have sepaerated. Something tells me that big news is comin out. Find Mary and she will tell what happened! She will expose the FAT PIG...
I understand the DA and other authorities are investigating Mary, Taryn and Gary. What goes around.......
Lopez et al are not the problem with this town. Gossipy idiots like you, and control freaks like Joakim are the problem. While those bloggers can be obnoxious, you always have the option not to read their crap.
In Joakim's case, we are forced to endure one act of stupidity, greed, or abuse after another.
I heard Mary is moving off Cape. Taryn will likely fade away the minute Joakim is put out to pasture, and Lopez will always be Lopez.
Joakim needs to resign, and save the town the cost of running her out.
Mainstream people are calling Coggers to offer support of the recall. What does that tell you?
It took the DA three years to catch McGowen, who was right under his nose, and he let a doctor get away with murder. Do you really think he gives a shit about some blabbering bloggers? Get real. This stuff does not rise to the level of criminality. Joakim needs to go. End of story.
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