New recall effort underway for Hillsdale mayor, councilman also targeted
HILLSDALE — For the second time this month, a recall effort is underway to recall embattled Mayor Adam Stockford.
This time, the recall petitioner, Ted Jansen, has included recall language for Ward 1 Councilman Greg Stuchell.
On Monday, April 15, less than a week after resident Penny Swan rescinded her recall petition against Stockford, Jansen filed paperwork with the Hillsdale County Clerk’s Office to recall Stockford and Stuchell.
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Jansen stated in his petition that he was seeking a recall because Stockford and Stuchell both voted in support of granting the municipal waste service contract to LRS (formerly Modern Waste) on Jan. 16 and that LRS was the highest bidder, not the lowest.
Council members Joshua Paladino, Cynthia Pratt, Bruce Sharp, Rob Socha, Will Morrisey and Gary Wolfram also supported granting the waste service contract to LRS over the slightly cheaper Granger Waste Services.
According to state law, a resident can file a petition to recall a public official for any reason, as long as the reason is truthful and accurate. Jansen, a resident of Ward 1, could only file recall paperwork against his representatives (Stockford as the mayor and Stuchell as his councilman).
While LRS’ bid was $14.34 per month for weekly residential trash services with a 4.5 percent increase per year starting in year two, Granger’s bid was for $13.30 a month with a 4 percent increase starting in year two.
A meeting of the county’s Election Commission is slated for 11 a.m. April 29 to determine if the recall language is factual and clear. If approved the signature-gathering process will be allowed to begin.
Petitioners would then need to gather enough signatures to equals 25 percent of the number of voters who cast a ballot in the most recent gubernatorial race in the district the public official represents.
Jansen would need to secure at least 620 valid signatures for Stockford and 135 for Stuchell and turn them in no later than Aug. 2 in order to trigger a November recall special election for either official.
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Swan, a former ally of Stockford whose term ends in November 2026, filed to recall Stockford on April 5 stating that “Stockford voted no on every street project, the last one being Aug. 21, 2023.”
A review of city council meeting minutes showed that while Stockford largely voted no against special assessment districts, he voted to approve contracts to vendors to complete infrastructure work.
Swan rescinded her recall petition April 10, just five days after launching her own efforts.
While Stockford and Swan were once close, with Stockford previously appointing Swan to city boards and commissions, their friendship ended with the growing rift in the Hillsdale County Republican Party that began in 2022 over differing views within the group.
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Swan sided with the Leininger, or more moderate, faction within the party, while Stockford serves as the vice chair of the far-right America First Hillsdale Republicans.
The rift and infighting eventually made its way to council chambers where Swan, during public comment, has often been critical of Stockford. Earlier this year, Stockford chose to not re-appoint Swan to a city board.
Jansen also has been critical of the city, especially Stuchell and Stockford, at times when the city took up the issue of homelessness along a popular recreation trail that runs through the heart of the city connecting the North Country Trail at Baw Beese Lake to the city of Jonesville.
— Contact Reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: New recall effort underway for Hillsdale mayor, councilman also targeted
