Article published Jan 10, 2008

Activists launch recall

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

Several Great Falls animal activists said they plan to launch a petition effort this week to recall Mayor Dona Stebbins and city commissioners John Rosenbaum and Bill Beecher because of the city's operation of the Great Falls animal shelter and animal control.

Ric Valois, Susan Overfield, Pam Hendrickson and Christian Cornelius each asked for the officials' resignations at the Tuesday night City Commission meeting. They also asked for the resignations of City Manager John Lawton, Police Chief Corky Grove and shelter manager Jaime Bennett.

No one took the activists up on their offers.

"We haven't seen any resignations nor have we seen any reasons for resignations," Lawton said Wednesday. He added that "the full story will come out" in the coming months and the public will be reassured about the city's operation of the animal shelter.

The animal activists previously criticized the city's July 5 takeover of the shelter from the Humane Society of Cascade County. City police are investigating December allegations by one present and one former animal control officer of abuse, neglect and inefficiency at the shelter since July. The city has promised to hire an attorney as a special examiner to independently determine whether the police investigation was done properly.

A summary of the police report is expected to be released Monday. Stebbins declined comment Wednesday, saying she will wait until the investigation is completed.

Activists would need to obtain at least 7,480 valid signatures from registered voters to hold an election to recall a city official or appointee, according to Montana law. State law allows both elected and appointed officials to be recalled.

An effort to recall the mayor of Dillon fell flat last year after most of the allegations against him were thrown out in court.

Valois checked on recall procedures Wednesday by contacting the Cascade County Elections Office, according to office supervisor Debbie Mart. She said anyone seeking a recall will need to submit petitions to her office so a county civil attorney can examine the wording. Once the wording is approved, the petitioner haves three months to obtain signatures.

If the effort succeeded, a special election would be held and paid for by the city, Mart said. The city general election in November cost more than $40,000 to run, she said.