MARQUETTE - An effort to recall AuTrain Township Clerk Mary Rogers from office has failed after several signatures collected by recall proponents were disqualified by county and state officials.
The Alger County Election Commission recently approved recall ballot language for the effort led by former AuTrain Township Supervisor Judith Graves. The commission's approval came on Graves' fourth attempt since last fall to have the panel judge the language clear enough for voters to understand.
The recall attempt involves an ongoing zoning dispute between the township and homeowners along Sixteenmile Lake over so-called "transient rentals," being allowed or enforced against.
In 2006, Graves was recalled from office and Rogers narrowly survived a recall attempt herself during that same election involving the rentals zoning issue.
The approved petition and ballot language stated:
"Mary Rogers has cost the taxpayers over $20,000 in legal fees over the past three years. Mary Rogers made the motion to stop litigation and enforcement of the zoning ordinances and refuses to rescind the motion, she is ignoring the majority of the residents (by petition) who want to maintain residential zoning."
Graves had until 5 p.m. Friday to collect 134 signatures from registered township voters to put the issue on the May 8 primary election ballot.
Alger County Clerk Mary Ann Froberg said Graves recently turned in her signatures to the clerk's office. Froberg said once that is done, no additional signatures may be collected or submitted.
Froberg determined - with the verification of a state election official - that four pages of signatures had to be rejected because more than one circulator's name appeared on the petition pages, which violates the recall process rules.
Froberg said that with those signatures disqualified, Graves had collected 117 names, 17 short of the number required.
Froberg said Graves could appeal the decision to Alger County Circuit Court, but has not done so. However, Rogers has appealed the original election commission decision which found the petition wording clear. A hearing is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Monday before Judge William Carmody.
Because office holders cannot be recalled from office during the first or last six months of their terms, and the deadlines involved in holding recall elections, there is not sufficient time to regroup the recall effort and start anew, Froberg said.
"They don't have enough time to do another one," Froberg said.
Rogers' current four-year term of office ends in November 2012. Rogers has served on the board for the past two decades.
By statute, the election commission includes Froberg, county Treasurer Pam Johnson and county Probate Court Judge Charles Nebel.
John Pepin can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206.
