Emmett Township trustee faces recall threat
A member of the Emmett Charter Township Board of Trustees could face a recall attempt later this year.
Petition language seeking the recall of Trustee Jim Mead was filed with the Calhoun County Clerk's Office Tuesday by Gavin Powell, a registered voter in the township.
The petition states Mead is "counterproductive" and "continues to undermine the board’s intent, hindering township business with his disruptive behavior and his tendency to break board confidentiality."
Mead could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.
The Calhoun County Election Commission, comprised of Clerk Kimberly Hinkley, Treasurer Brian Wensauer and Probate Judge Michael Jaconette, will hold a hearing on Jan. 18 to determine if the recall petition is sufficiently clear and factual for circulation. The hearing will begin at 1:30 p.m. inside the Calhoun County Building, 315 W. Green St. in Marshall.
"The hearing is not for the purpose of debating the merit of the allegations," staff at the clerk's office wrote in a Wednesday release. "The Election Commission does not have the authority to rule on the reasons for recall as only the clarity and factual nature of the recall language is subject to the commission’s review."
If the language is approved, Powell will have 60 days to circulate the petition following a 10-day appeal period.
Approximately 1,211 signatures would be needed to trigger a recall election, according to the Clerk's Office. The next opportunity to appear on a ballot is May, but the deadline for signatures filed with the county clerk then would be Jan. 27.
Mead was elected to the township board in November 2020. His term expires in November 2024.
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Emmett Township trustee faces recall threat
