Recall effort
Thursday, April 28, 2005 1:53 PM PDT
Tami Hart Argus Observer
PAYETTE
Tom Ladley is concerned about the direction of Payette and said he is taking steps to start the process of recalling a Payette City Council member he feels is polarizing the council - councilwoman Vallery Klitch.
"She's out of line, she's out of control and she needs to be out of office," Ladley said.
Klitch, however, said she had no comment regarding Ladley's recall effort.
"At this point in time until there is some in writing and an actual recall, I have no comment," Klitch said.
Ladley does have something in writing, though, and he said he intends to file a petition next week with the Payette City Clerk for a recall election on Klitch.
"My goal is to have Vallery Klitch recalled as a councilwoman because it's very obvious to me that she's not going to resign and she's been detrimental to the operation of the city," Ladley said. "She's been there a little over a year and she's created more hate and discontent in that year than any other council member in eight years. Payette has its own share of problems, with the closing of businesses and I don't think we need a councilwoman in this town creating more problems. Not only is she creating problems, but she hasn't fixed any of the existing problems."
He cited the recent lawsuit filed by Payette resident Juanita Davilla against Klitch, the Payette City Council and the Payette School District in February for a alleged threatening statement Klitch made to a school counselor, as one of the reasons he thinks a recall is necessary. Klitch's attempts to terminate long-time department heads with a proven track record for the city is another reason for his campaign, he said.
As a frequent spectator at City Council meetings, and a member of the Payette Planning and Zoning Committee, Ladley said Klitch's constant calling for executive sessions during council meetings is another concern.
"She's trying to conduct city business out of the light of day," Ladley said.
A review of the City Council meeting minutes from Jan. 20, 2004 to March 21, 2005 shows 13 executive sessions were called during that period, six of those by Klitch.
"I think the dissension and unrest and fear she's causing is not good," Ladley's wife, Jan, said. "I think we have to do whatever it takes to get her out."
Ladley said he is fully prepared to go the distance with the recall and as a former Teamster, said he is no stranger to taking flak because of his beliefs.
"I've seen flak from the pros," he said. "I think anytime you decide to take on an issue, right, wrong or indifferent, you better be prepared because not everyone is going to agree with you. My wife and I talked about this prior to my writing my last Letter to the Editor in the Argus and decided that we felt it was important enough that I'll take the flak."
Ladley's April 5 letter to the editor, in which he called for Klitch's resignation, prompted a personal letter to Ladley from Klitch. Klitch's letter demanded Ladley print a retraction to his letter and asked for personal apologies to Klitch, her husband, her children, the city and the Payette County Sheriff's Office. Klitch also called for Ladley's resignation from Planning and Zoning.
"A large part of your responsibilities on Planning and Zoning is to be objective, unbiased, fair and impartial, seeking always to find all facts, before making conclusions. You have proved to me (by your consistent malicious actions) that you are not interested in getting the facts, that you make bias decisions and are unable to assimilate all information before coming to the conclusions. You have been charged with the process of making decisions that affect the present and long term well-being of the citizens of this community," Klitch wrote in her letter.
"She can hold her position and be opinionated, but Tom can't hold his and be opinionated," Jan Ladley said. Klitch's letter stated Ladley has 10 days to respond to her requests or "I will assume your desire would be to proceed through the courts."
Ladley said he was unimpressed.
"I don't work for the city. The Planning and Zoning position is as a volunteer. I'm not afraid of her," Ladley said.
To initiate a recall petition, Payette City Clerk John Franks said Ladley must first submit a petition requesting a recall election, the name of the person to be recalled and the reasons why, along with the signatures of 20 registered Payette voters.
Once that petition is filed with the clerk, Ladley will have 75 days to obtain 576 signatures, or 20 percent of the registered voters in the last general election in Payette.
If Ladley obtains the required signatures, the city clerk would then determine when the recall election would be held.
According to Idaho Statute, Title 34, Chapter 17, to recall any officer, a majority of the votes cast at the special recall election must be in favor of such recall, and, additionally, the number of votes cast in favor of the recall must equal or exceed the votes cast at the last general election for that officer. If the recall effort fails, Ladley said he could try again 90 days after the election.
"I think the thing to do then would be we'd just have to stay on top of her for the rest of her term and make sure of everything she does and doesn't do and make sure everyone knows what's happening. Then, come the next election, we vote her out," Ladley said.
