While many organizations have formed to attack the government, one Cortez organization has formed to defend it.
Support Our Council, or SOC, is a group comprised of embattled city council members, their families and supporters advocating against municipal recall efforts. The group is responsible for anti-recall yellow stickers and yard signs, which began to spring up in Cortez yards April 8.
Beyond defending the embattled city councilors, SOC Treasurer Cynthia Markum says the group is also defending the decision of Cortez voters, who elected the officials by popular vote.
The SOC group is not only fighting the recall, she said. But defending the majority of citizens in Cortez, who made it clear less than a year ago, who they wanted to represent them. (Recall proponents) are trying to make those votes count for nothing. Its an abuse of the recall process.
A group of area residents successfully petitioned for the 295 signatures necessary to hold a recall election for four city councilors and Mayor Dan Porter, saying they are fed up with what they perceive as excessive spending, overuse of emergency ordinances and lack of response to residents concerns.
The last straw for the group was the citys involvement in the Flaugh-Clark private housing development, contributing the man hours of public employees and an estimated $325,000 in public funds to pay for the construction of infrastructure in the subdivision a cost usually left up to private developers.
Recall supporter Bud Garner told the Journal April 5, he feels the officials should be recalled for bad governance by becoming the developer of the Flaugh-Clark subdivision and alleges city officials violated the law with the project by not holding themselves to the same standards that they would apply to private developers. Its improper governance, especially the expense of it, he said. I dont care if its 20 cents. Its an improper expense of the taxpayers money.
City officials argue amenities were made to the owners of the Flaugh-Clark subdivision in an effort to secure the extension of Tucker Lane, which they say will be an important city thoroughfare in the future.
The official group of petitioners includes Cortez Residents Jodie Henley, Norma Joyce Turner, Garner and Richard Dick Biery. Although the group says they were the ones to initiate the recall, they acknowledged accepting help from a group of six developers involved in a lawsuit against the city.
Markum believes it was the developers who instigated the recall, a point contested by the plaintiffs, who say the allegation first stated publicly by Porter is an effort to detract public attention from the issues.
Its a group of developers, who dont even live in the city, Markum said. Who have a lawsuit against the city which by the way, they lost. They had tried to run their own candidates prior and those candidates had lost. (SOC members) felt like theyre trying to undo the voice of the people.
The lawsuit against the city and Public Works Director Jack Nickerson involving construction requirements the plaintiffs alleged were unfair was dismissed by Senior Judge Walker D. Miller March 29. in U.S. District Court in Denver. Plaintiffs have said they may appeal the decision.
SOC formed informally last fall, Markum said, and formally filed as a campaign organization with City hall March 4.
Markum said the group has received donations from Cortez residents as well as out of town residents who shop or do business in Cortez. She said she worries the recall effort is giving the community a bad reputation and is a deterrent to businesses locating in the city.
You dont see a lot of civilized discourse anymore, she said. I feel like its disintegrating.
Markum said SOC members feel strongly that the recall is not an election.
Cortez residents voted these people into place and its almost an insult for somebody to come along and say, because they were unhappy with some decisions that were made, that they have the right to undo what people have voted in, and were here to defend that, she said.
Councilors Donna Foster, Matt Keefauver, Robert Rime, Betty Swank and Mayor Porter are up for potential recall in the May 3 election. Councilors Tom Butler and Bob Archibeque are not on the ballot for potential recall.
The ballot will let voters decide whether or not an official should be retained, and if not, who should replace them. Although three individuals have picked up paperwork to run, not one has yet returned petitions with the required 25 signatures to run as potential replacements. Potential candidates must be a registered voter at least 21 years old who has resided in Cortez for at least a year.
Petitions are due Wednesday. If no one runs against a recalled incumbent official, a replacement will be appointed by the remaining counselors.
The deadline to register for the recall election was April 1. Applications for absentee ballots are available at city hall. Absentee voting will take place from April 25 to 28.
Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 3 at the Montezuma County Annex Building, 103 N. Chestnut St., and Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church, 350 S. Washington. More information on the election can be obtained from the city clerks office at 564-4008.
SOC has a Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/norecallcortez?sk=wall.
Recall proponents have a Website: www.cityofcortezrecall.com/index.html.
Reach Reid Wright at [email protected].
