The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@windstream.net
By RICHARD HARRIS
(From the Feb. 14, 2007 issue)
A judge will decide whether or not the effort to recall Marion County Commissioner Frank Powell can proceed after conducting a hearing in Marion County Superior Court on Monday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m.
The Coalition for the Betterment of Marion County submitted an application for a recall petition on January 17. The application had 150 signatures. The Marion County Board of Elections verified that the first 100
However, before an official recall petition was turned over to the Coalition to proceed with, Commissioner Powell filed a request to have the legitimacy of the application reviewed in court. That set up the Feb. 26 hearing, which will be conducted by Superior Court Judge Ben Miller, according to Elections Supervisor Anthony Dixon.
During the hearing, since Powell has denied the allegations in the application, the judge will review the legal sufficiency of the reasons given and make a ruling about whether or not an actual recall petition should be granted.
If the recall petition is granted, the Coalition will receive a petition form and official petition number from the Marion County Board of Elections. According to Dixon, they will then have to collect signatures from 30 percent of the registered voters in the county (1,248) in order to actually force a recall election. The Board of Elections would have 30 days to verify the signatures.
If the 1,248 signatures were verified, a special election would then be scheduled within 30 to 45 days. Voters would then vote either “yes” or “no” on whether or not Powell should be removed from office. If more than half of the voters were to vote “yes,” Powell would immediately be removed from his position.
The next step would be to have a qualifying period for candidates who want to seek the vacant position, followed by the scheduling of another special election to fill the vacancy created by the recall.
Background
On its application for a recall petition, the Coalition lists the following allegations as a summary of the reasons they want to remove Commissioner Powell from office:
* Failing to provide adequate oversight of government spending, leading to waste and an increase in taxes;
* Not establishing, maintaining and/or fostering an atmosphere which is conducive to open government and accessibility, being available to discuss concerns of constituency;
* Participating in meetings
which are not in compliance with Georgia’s open meeting laws by failing to adequately inform the citizens of Marion County of the need to make change in handling solid waste disposal, which resulted in confusion, dissatisfaction in, and an overall increase in the total taxes collected from residential property owners.
Commissioner Powell, however, denies all of those allegations, saying they are “untrue and, in my opinion, are a direct assassination of my character.”
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Local News
* Cusseta man indicted for fatal explosion
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* Fun, free fitness class starts in Ellaville
* Wells is LK Moss Teacher of the Month
* Stewart, Patterson to wed March 10th
* Schley 4-H’ers attend District Project Achievement
* Cusseta parents learn ‘sweet skills’
* Webster 4-H’ers attend Junior/Senior DPA
* Doyle VFD plans BBQ sale on Feb. 24
* MCHS hosts History Day Symposium
* SCHS announces Gold, Silver, Bronze Honor Rolls
* Marion superintendent declares Feb. CTAE Month
* GSW announces local graduates
* Ellaville’s Maddocks passes SGTC Real Estate course
* Toomey leaves for basic training
* Tazewell VFD offers tasty food, chance to win shotgun
* International visitors tour SCES
* GSW announces area students who made honor lists
* Locals make Columbus State Dean’s List
* Marion Middle School Spelling Bee Winners
* MCHS FCCLA members visit Capitol
* MMS honors Students of the Week: Harris, Crumbley, Anderson
* Range Fuels to build wood-based ethanol plant in Georgia
* Ansley is LK Moss Student of the Week
* SCHS plans big preseason baseball event
* Matters of Faith
* Welcoming the next generation
* Webster Hog Show set for Feb. 20th
* Marion Middle School Reading Counts Winners
* Fuller to speak at SGTC Black History Program
* Kite Rally set at Florence Marina
* MMS reminds public of immunization rules
* Local Horse & Pony Club seeks members
* Chinn turns 5
* Lakeview offering free GED classes
* LK Moss Primary School News
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